Journey of Dreams
by CyberGuardian7
Summary: We all know the dream of Ash Ketchum: To be a Pokemon Master. What if he realized how much was required to achieve that dream? What if he actually prepared for his journey at an early age? His journey will be full of challenges, but since when was the journey to becoming a Master ever easy? Alternate starter; Smart Ash. Rated T to be safe.
1. Prologue

**Journey of Dreams**

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is owned by the Pokemon Company. The only thing I own is this story.

A/N: Hey everyone CyberGuardian7 here! This is actually my first story, but I already have great ideas in mind for it and I would love to see how this ends up taking off. Reviews will be appreciated and constructive criticism will be considered as I know my writing could probably use work, but I'll leave that for the readers to decide.

Please note that important updates for any story I write (such as if they will be on hold, for example) will be in my profile, not in the story itself. Here are a few other assumptions for this story:

1) Ash will still have Pikachu, but it will not be his official starter, but rather his third Pokemon.

2) The starter may be surprising, but I will explain why I chose the starter as I did after the Prologue. Ash's attitude and preferences will be slightly different from the anime, but will maintain the aspects of him that I believe are important. This will mainly be noticed in serious situations (this story assumes Ash is smart).

3) I don't really like Kanto much and it is his home region, so I intend for this region to be last in this story (if I can get around to it), but he will make a small trip through it to obtain several key Kanto Pokemon that were important in the anime. The first pass through Kanto will likely be just 1 or 2 chapters, but I'll make it work. The journey officially starts in Johto.

4) I hate Misty as she seems to be excessively violent and angry in the anime and is just plain annoying, so she will not travel with Ash (her sisters always seem to be goofing off anyway, so somebody has to watch the gym). If you are looking for an AshxMisty pairing, you will need to look elsewhere.

As for Brock….I will have him tag along with Ash, since he is like the big brother to look up to for Ash, and he can learn a lot for him. Not sure if I will have him fall head over heels for any girl he sees though (I'll have to work that out with Misty gone).

5) Two points here: 1) Team Rocket will be in this story and 2) The movies, except for one in particular as it plays an important role in the next story, will be skipped but the top of a chapter will mention if the events of a movie have passed and flashbacks in the movies may be given to further the plot. The story will still have legendary Pokemon appearing outside the movie events as well.

Lastly, Pokemon words are in _italics_, thoughts are in **bold (including telepathy if applicable)**, and regular talking is in plain text. The current year in the Pokemon world is the year 2000. The start and end points of Flashbacks will have parenthesis around them. This story will be in 3rd Person/General POV for the most part (not Ash's POV) as I think the General POV will be better for this story, but change in POV (this will likely be rare) from the General POV will be mentioned if needed.

CyberGuardian7 (CG): That's all for now, so with that said, let's get on with it!

Starter: _About time 'Author', you are going to bore the readers to death!_

CG: Hey! I'm just explaining things so they make sense, and to think that I made you the start—

Starter: _Whatever, now quiet so we can get on with the story, or do I need to 'convince' you to keep quiet?_

CG:….fine

* * *

(Present - June 2000)

It was cool and early in Pallet town. The sun has just appeared over the horizon, and the world was preparing to wake from its slumber. The weather outside was 40° and partly cloudy. The sky was painted a beautiful mix of orange and blue and the wind was blowing ever so gently. Most people would love to experience a morning like this, but some would prefer their sleep.

Ash Ketchum, a 10-year old kid, was no exception to the latter. He was sleeping like a rock, one foot hanging off the bed, snoring. Yes, he was in a deep sleep. As for his best friend however…

BAM!

"Gah! Alright I'm up I'm up!" Ash was holding his throbbing head waiting for the pain to subside and wondering why he didn't set an alarm clock. He sighed, this was a normal occurrence for the last 3 years, and he supposed he should've expected it as he would oversleep from time to time and his closest friend would wake him up via a headbutt to the head. Ignoring his friend in favor of sleep wouldn't work either as he would just continue headbutting him. His friend wasn't exactly human, which would explain why it hurt a lot.

He looked at his closest friend who just looked at him with a grin as he was running to the door to get the day started only to accidentally trip, get back up faster than the eye could see, and continue downstairs. Ash couldn't help but give a light chuckle at his friend's random bursts of energy. One moment his friend would be serious and calm, others he looked ready to have fun or train a bit. He smiled as he remembered the day he met his friend.

* * *

(Flashback – 5 years ago)

A man was getting ready to walk out the door when he stopped and turned, "Son, I am going to leave for a while. It may be some time before I return, but I will see you both again as soon as I get a chance. Before I do so, I want to give you a gift."

Ash's eyes widened, "Really?" His father chuckled, "Of course, you didn't think I forgot your birthday did you? Here take this."

His eyes widened further when he saw what it was, "No way, a Pokeball!? You got me a Pokemon!?" His father nodded, "Yes, but you are still a bit young, so your mother will help teach you how to interact and care for a Pokemon, but it will be your responsibility to take care of it, alright?"

He nodded solemnly in reply, understanding just how important this was, but he was ecstatic as he was excited to make a new friend. His father replied, "Go on and open it. Meet your new partner."

Ash grinned and opened the Pokeball and the Pokemon was slowly revealed. It appeared to stand on two legs, and was about 2 feet tall. The Pokemon was light blue in color and it had a silver colored head, "_baaagon_" it cried.

Ash's eyes were full of excitement, "Whoa, what Pokemon is that?"

His father replied, "That, my son is a Bagon. It is a very young dragon type, and while it may not be very strong now, it can grow to be quite powerful if trained correctly. You said you wanted to be a Pokemon Master, and this could be a great way for you to test your convictions to their limit. Bagon is the son of my first Pokemon, so I thought it would be fitting for you."

His father continued, "Before you can train a Pokemon however, you will need to develop a close friendship with them first. While you wait to start your journey, why don't you work on becoming friends with Bagon? If you can develop a close friendship with all of your future Pokemon, especially with Bagon, then I have no doubt you will be a Pokemon Master."

Ash nodded and said, "I'll do it! I'll make you proud dad, and one day I will get good enough for us to battle too I promise". Ash's father just smiled warmly and said, "I know son, and I'm looking forward to it. Take care, and I'll check up on you two and your mother soon. I love you son." With that, he started on his path down the road into Viridian forest to get to the port in Vermilion City.

After a few moments, Ash and Bagon looked at each other and Ash said, "It is awesome to meet you Bagon! I'm Ash and my dream is to become a Pokemon Master. Do you have a dream as well?"

Bagon nodded and pointed to some nearby Pidgey that were flying around and looked at the sky with a longing desire to fly. He had always wanted to fly and he was incredibly jealous that others could do so. He learned not too long ago that if he became a Salamence he would actually be able to do that. He also wanted to become strong.

Ash followed his eyes to see what Bagon was looking at and thought for a moment. He then broke out into a smile, "You want to be able to fly and become strong huh?" Bagon simply nodded.

Ash replied, "How about we help each other to achieve our dreams? If we work together, not only can we achieve our dreams, but we will have each other and many more friends as we do so. It may take quite a while, but I know we can do it. So how about it Bagon, does that sound good?"

He decided to wait a moment while Bagon processed this. Bagon then smiled greatly and nodded, followed by a bit of cheering for making a new friend that not only will be able to help him with his dream, but because he felt that this would be the start of a great friendship. Ash just laughed all while thinking the same thing as his new friend.

(End Flashback)

* * *

"**We've worked hard**" Ash thought with a serious face while lying on his bed with his hands behind his head, "**but I need to keep going. There is a still a lot for me to learn**."

It was true; he remembered how many hours he put into studying everything he could about Pokemon in the past 5 years. He studied Pokemon habitats, moves, types, abilities, preferred food, he even learned about various legendary Pokemon. He figured that despite his studying though, there was still a great deal he could learn.

Then he smiled and thought, "**Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a little fun while I'm at it**." He just remembered that today was also the day he was going to start his journey as well. He looked at the clock which read 7:45am. His mind started racing as he remembered that he was supposed to be at Professor Oak's lab at 7am to get his starter.

That did not concern him greatly as he already had a starter, but he still needed to see the Professor before starting his journey. He frowned when he realized that Gary, his childhood friend now-turned rival, was already almost an hour ahead of him!

He jumped out of bed and ran downstairs following his closest friend. He found Bagon and his mother both eating their breakfast and suddenly his stomach growled which caught the attention of his mom and friend, causing him to smile sheepishly and nervously laugh.

They both just shook their heads and chuckled, while simultaneously thinking, "**Some things will never change**." Ash sat down and started scarfing down his breakfast like a starved Snorlax.

Once he and Bagon finished their breakfast he asked, "Mom, can I have Bagon's Pokeball now? I needed to start my journey almost an hour ago and I'm late to see Professor Oak!"

His mother just responded, "Yes Ash, you may have Bagon's Pokeball." She had kept custody of it as anyone under the age of 10 was not permitted to use a Pokeball. She handed it over to him.

"Just don't forget to call and check in from time to time. Your backpack is next to the door and don't forget to change your un—" Ash started turning a bit red, "Mom, I'll remember. I'm not 5 anymore you know."

His mom just started giggling and said, "All right go ahead honey, enjoy your journey." Ash smiled, returned Bagon to his pokeball, and ran out the door while yelling back, "Will do mom, thanks!"

Ash was running as fast as he could to the professor's lab while silently hoping that he was not too late to officially start his journey. He had to get to the professor's lab before the deadline today, or else he would have to wait another year to start his journey.

As he was running, his thoughts turned back to some of his studies, particularly the various regions he could visit. He learned that Bagon was a Pokemon mostly found in the Hoenn region and that his final evolution form, Salamence, was able to fly and he had every intention to help his friend do that.

He also thought that since Gary had such a head start on him, that it would be very difficult to keep up and that he would likely get mocked by him because of it. He hated losing to Gary, but he loved to surprise and beat him. Gary didn't know that he had Bagon this whole time as he wanted to surprise him when they battled at the Pokemon League.

He made up his mind; his journey would officially start in another region, but he wanted to glimpse part of his own region and possibly make a few friends before departing for the unknown, well, unknown to him anyway.

He finally arrived at Professor Oak's lab and knocked on the door rapidly. The door suddenly opened and in front of him was a man, probably in his 50s or 60s, wearing a lab coat and a grin on his face. "So Ash, finally decided to wake up eh?"

Ash blushed at this and said, "Sorry professor, I forgot to set my alarm, so I was woken up with an even less pleasant alternative."

Professor Oak just laughed at that, "It's quite alright my boy, it sounds like Bagon is doing well." Ash was shocked, he never told Professor Oak about Bagon, or at least he hadn't planned to until today.

He replied, "How did you know about Bagon?" The professor chuckled and said, "Your father mentioned it when he dropped by as he was leaving town, right before he gave it to you. Since you were only 5 at the time, he was required to tell the region's professor to gain approval to do so for safety reasons. After I heard about your love for Pokemon and that your mother was to be helping you and holding onto Bagon's Pokeball, I approved as I believed you could handle it. It seems that I was right."

Ash was touched that the professor had that much faith in him and responded, "Yeah, Bagon and I have become the closest of friends." Professor Oak nodded and said, "Excellent! Well come on in, let's get you ready for your journey."

Ash breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed he was not too late after all. They walked in to the main room in the lab and in the middle, there was a machine that had three Pokeballs, all set in a triangle formation and there was a hidden slot in the middle for a Pokeball as well.

Ash thought for a moment and said, "Since I was the last to arrive, I'm guessing that all of the starters are gone right?"

The professor nodded. "Yes, the starters have left with their respective trainers, but there is one Pokemon left that has been a bit…challenging as it has a lot of energy, and I can't really keep it here as it needs to get out and see the world."

Ash considered this and said, "Professor, if you want I'll take it with me. I was able to handle a young dragon for 5 years, so I'm sure I can handle it."

Professor Oak really couldn't argue with that logic and so he grabbed the Pokeball containing the energetic Pokemon from the hidden compartment in the machine holding the Pokeballs. He turned to Ash and handed him the Pokeball saying, "I don't see a problem with that. Just promise me that you will take good care of it."

He promised he would take care of it and opened the Pokeball and the Pokemon slowly materialized. When it fully appeared it turned its head sideways and said….

* * *

A/N: Cliffhanger already I know, but it should be worth it when the next chapter is posted. I'm not too happy with the writing though, so I might revise how I word things (not the plot) later and update it, I'm not sure just yet. The only exception is if there is a problem serious enough that merits a timely change. Next Chapter: the start of Kanto and the reveal of Ash's second Pokemon.

Salamence: You just had to make the prologue take _forever_ didn't you?

CG: Okay, so it was long, but this is all intro material anyway, and you aren't exactly a common starter, so I had to provide a bit of background. For the readers out there, A Bagon takes forever to train, but it becomes such a monster when it becomes a Salamence.

Salamence: _That's right, and don't you forget it either._

CG: Sigh…why did I agree to watch you while Ash was away on his honeymoon again?

Salamence: _Because I'm your favorite Pokemon, because I'm awesome, and finally because you are telling our story to keep us entertained._

CG:….Right. *grumbles* **Stupid dragons and their pride**.

*A flamethrower suddenly shot towards me and barbecued the chair I was on as I dived away from the flames*

CG: What the heck man!? What was that for? Now I gotta go buy a new chair!

Salamence: _I heard your thoughts, so let's be clear, I am nothing short of awesome and if you actually do a good job on this story, perhaps I'll be nicer and we can be friends, got it?_

CG: Sigh…fine, I suppose I'll head to the store to get a new writing chair and get back to work.

Salamence: *smirk* _Now you're getting the idea._

CG: …Until next time everyone,

-CyberGuardian7


	2. The Journey Through Kanto

**Journey of Dreams: Chapter 1 Start**

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is owned by the Pokemon Company. The only thing I own is this story.

A/N: Hey Guys, CyberGuardian7 here and I'm back with Chapter 1 of the Journey of Dreams.

I honestly did not expect to see this story get so much attention in such a short time, especially given that this is my first story! Your support means a lot and I thank you for it. I will continue doing my best with this story and I hope I won't disappoint. Reviews would be greatly appreciated as well (See profile for details.) Without further ado, Chapter 1!

Salamence: _Finally, now we can get back to how Ash and I met HIM._

?: _Hey guys are you talking about me? _

Salamence: _Yeah, we are talking about how Ash and I met yo—_

CG: Can we please get back to the story already? We can't keep the readers waiting!

Salamence: *smirk* _You're just mad because you had to buy a new chair. _

CG: Hey, in case you didn't notice, that chair was $150! That isn't exactly cheap…

Salamence &amp; ?: _But it is comfortable right?_

CG: Well yeah, but—

Salamence: _Then you have nothing to complain about. _

?: _On with the story!_

CG: But….Fine

"Normal Human Speech"

"**Human/Pokemon Thoughts"**

"_Pokemon Speech"_

"_**Echoed/Magnified Voice"**_

* * *

"_Ve? Eev?" _The Pokemon cried out looking very confused.

Ash beamed, the Pokemon turned out to be none other than Eevee.

"Awesome! I've always wanted an Eevee!" Ash then crouched down and greeted Eevee, "Hey Eevee, my name is Ash. I'm a new Pokemon Trainer and my goal is to become a Pokemon Master."

Eevee started losing a bit of interest at this. He had heard the same thing from various other kids he had been observing. It wasn't that he was opposed to the goal, just that it seemed a little bit uninteresting. What was the point of being strong if all you did with your life was battle when one came up? He didn't want to be cramped in a Pokeball, and only battle for most of his life.

Ash seemed to notice Eevee's reaction and thought, **"Why would Eevee seem uninterested with that?" **He reflected on this for a moment, trying to imagine things from Eevee's perspective. "**The Professor said that Eevee was playful and full of energy, but he appears uninterested in my goal. Why would that be the case unless…"** and suddenly he understood what Eevee must have felt.

He replied, "Eevee, does it seem uninteresting because you think you would battle and stay in your Pokeball most of the time?"

Eevee was surprised, but nodded. He actually didn't expect this kid to figure it out, but wondered where he was going with that question.

Ash smiled warmly at Eevee. "Eevee, if that is your only concern, you do not need to worry. You do not need to stay in your Pokeball if you do not want to. "

He continued, "I was actually going to say that there is more to my dream than being a Pokemon Master. I also want to make friends with you and all of my future Pokemon partners. We will be traveling a lot, seeing new sights, and in addition to training we will also be having some time for fun as well. It will basically be a fun adventure and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?"

Ash waited for a moment hoping that Eevee would agree. He would never force a Pokemon to come with him, even if it was one he really wanted. He could already tell Eevee had a playful side, and that it was just concerned. He hoped that what he said would be enough to convince him.

* * *

Eevee was surprised to say the least. He had no idea that a human would be willing to consider what he wanted.

He always thought that if he were captured, he would constantly have to battle and train and basically forfeit not only his freedom, but his happiness as well. And here this 10-year old boy was, proving him wrong.

"**This boy, Ash I believe, is not only offering me a chance to travel (something I always wanted to do) but is also offering to be my friend**_" _Eevee thought.

Eevee looked at Ash for a moment to see if he was lying, but all he saw was a 10-year old boy that genuinely just wanted to make a new friend.

He looked at Ash's eyes and all that he could see was love and care…for him.

Eevee was touched and decided, "**Ash, you are a unique human. I think this is going to be fun! Something tells me that this will be an adventure for a lifetime and I think we'll make great friends!" **He was getting really excited now.

Little did Eevee know just how true that statement would be…

* * *

Professor Oak watched this exchange and he grinned as he lightly shook his head in disbelief, but acceptance.

He supposed he should have seen this coming. He spent all day yesterday and today trying to get Eevee to calm down, but Ash did it in seconds!

Ash did come over at least once a week for the past 5 years wanting to play with the Pokemon and he seemed to be a natural at getting to know all of the Pokemon in his ranch, so it made sense.

"**Why didn't I ask Ash if he wanted to come over yesterday to help with Eevee?" **He returned his attention to Ash and Eevee and his smile widened, his previous thought forgotten.

"**Ash, while it is true that a Pokemon Master needs to be very strong, it is not the only thing required. A Master also needs to understand not only his Pokemon, but the Pokemon around him as well. Despite being so young, you are beginning to understand just how important this really is. I know you will be a Master someday" **The Professor concluded to himself.

* * *

Ash saw Eevee's expression change. Eevee started cheering, "_Eev! Ve Eevee!_" Eevee then proceeded to jump towards Ash, who promptly caught him despite being surprised.

"**What a sudden mood swing" **Ash thought while Eevee was looking at him with a smile.

"_Ve_" he said while looking at Ash and wagging his tail.

Ash laughed, "I guess that means you want to come with me then. Welcome to the team Eevee!"

The Professor chuckled, "Well Ash, it seems that you and Eevee are already getting along despite having just met, and Eevee is actually pretty calm now. Perhaps I should've called you yesterday. I'm getting too old to be chasing Pokemon around all day long."

Ash laughed, "I suppose you should have. I consider all Pokemon my friends."

Oak just nodded and grabbed a few items from the nearby table and gave them to Ash.

"Here take these: your Pokedex and Pokeballs. They will help you on your journey."

Ash accepted them and said, "Thanks Professor. By the way, can you not tell Gary about Bagon, Eevee, or my plans?"

Professor raised a brow and replied, "Sure Ash, but what plans do you have?"

Ash was a bit nervous about what he would say next as the Professor would have to pull a few strings, but decided to ask anyway and he took a deep breath.

"I've decided that I would like to officially start my journey in Johto. However, I want to see more of the region I was born in first. I would like to catch a few Pokemon here in Kanto and bring some of them with me to Johto."

Ash pressed on, "I did some research and learned that the Johto League starts about 2 months from now, so I figured the timing would be perfect and I could bring a piece of home with me through my friends. I just need a ticket for the ferry and I was wondering if you would know the best way to get one?"

The Professor debated this. It was kind of risky sending a 10-year old to another region unsupervised, even with Pokemon. Normally, trainers are to start their journey in the region of birth for safety concerns and so the Professor could get updates on their progress.

It was usually after a trainer has earned 8 badges in any given region that they would be deemed skilled enough to travel further.

However, Ash was no ordinary 10-year old and has proven that over the years. He knew Ash was studying quite a bit about Pokemon and that he was skilled enough to bond with and understand them. Also, he appeared to have thought about this carefully and did some research into the matter as well.

The Professor finally answered with, "Yes Ash, I know how to get those ferry tickets, and I will get them for you, but under two conditions." He said firmly. Ash paid close attention to what he would say next.

"The Professor in Johto is named Elm, and you must give him updates at least weekly so we know you are safe and can handle the journey. In addition, you should give me and your mother a call at least once a month. We will miss having you around" he finished with a smile.

Ash grinned at this, "Thanks Professor, I will do that. I'd better get going since I only have two months to make some new friends. I'll call you soon."

Oak wished him a temporary farewell, "Take care my boy, and I'll see you when you return in two months."

Ash called out, "Let's go Eevee."

Eevee yipped saying, "_Eevee! Ve Ve!"_

* * *

(Time Skip – 45 minutes)

Ash and Eevee were currently walking on Route 1. The route had quite a few trees on both sides, but they were spaced out for the most part, so it wasn't as dense as a full-blown forest.

They were both on the lookout for any new Pokemon that could join them, but they weren't having any luck. They had been searching for about 30 minutes and all they found were a few Oran berries on some nearby tress that ash picked for future use.

Ash sighed, Route 1 was extremely short after all and the distance to Viridian City was about a 45-minute walk from Pallet town, so there weren't many wild Pokemon here. He was about to give up when Eevee picked up a scent.

Eevee cried out, "Eev!" and started to follow the scent. Ash decided to see what Eevee had detected and they were surprised with what they found. Resting on a nearby tree stump was a Pikachu.

Ash nearly jumped in excitement and exclaimed, "Awesome, a Pikachu! Great job Eevee!"

The noise startled Pikachu awake and he turned to glare at whoever decided to wake him up from his nap. He started sparking his cheeks and zapped the human who dared to wake him up.

"AAHHHHHH!"

Pikachu then ceased his attack and Ash fell to the ground anime style, burnt to a crisp. Pikachu then started laughing pretty hard.

Ash got back up, a bit annoyed at being zapped so harshly, saying, "So that's how you want to do things huh? Two can play at that game. Bagon, I choose you!"

Ash threw the Pokeball high in the air and Bagon materialized looking around for a moment when he saw Pikachu. He smirked when he realized he was finally going to have his first battle.

"Get ready Bagon, this is our first battle and I know you can do this!"

Bagon nodded while facing Pikachu with a serious expression. He had wanted to battle for a while after the bit of training he and Ash have gone through over the past 3 years and now he finally can, and against a type that he had some resistance against no less.

Pikachu on the other hand, was a bit nervous. He had never seen this Pokemon before and could tell that it had been training at least a little bit. Still, he would try and beat it. He had never backed down from a challenge before, and he won't start now. He decided to play it safe and attack from a distance first.

Pikachu launched a small burst of electricity at Bagon, but Ash was quick to react, "That's Thundershock! Dodge left and use Rage!" Bagon dodged the attack by jumping to his left and charged at Pikachu with a small red aura around him and scored a direct hit.

Pikachu cried out in pain, but quickly recovered and retaliated with a Quick Attack! Bagon briefly grunted in pain as he skidded back, but shook if off.

Ash was a bit surprised, "Wow, that Pikachu is slightly stronger than I expected if it already knows Quick Attack. Focus your Energy." Bagon nodded and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again with more determination than ever.

Pikachu got nervous at this and quickly launched another Thundershock, but Ash responded quickly, "Dodge again and use Headbutt!" Bagon dodged again and charged at Pikachu, scoring a direct hit and launching Pikachu toward the ground a small distance away causing a small dust cloud to appear.

When the dust settled, Pikachu was found to be out cold. Ash took this chance and tossed an empty Pokeball, enveloping the Pokemon in a red light before absorbing it. It started shaking on the ground for a couple of moments but finally stopped.

Ash grabbed the ball and shouted, "All right! We got a Pikachu!" Bagon and Eevee also participated in the 3-second celebration with their respective cries.

Ash decided that Pikachu should come out for a moment to regain a bit of strength, "Come on out Pikachu." The Pokeball reached midair before opening up and Pikachu appeared, flinching.

Ash was a bit puzzled at first before saying, "Hey Pikachu, if you don't like the Pokeball, you don't have to stay in it. Before we discuss too much, eat this Oran Berry. It should help you recover a bit."

Pikachu nodded and ate the berry. Slowly he felt some of his energy returning to him. He still felt very tired, but he was at least able to walk now and do basic things now. He then looked at Ash confused and pointed at him.

Ash was also confused for a moment before realizing what the problem was: Pikachu wanted to know who he was.

"My name is Ash, and I am a Pokemon Trainer. My goal is to be a Pokemon Master, but also to make friends to share that dream with while going on a fun adventure. What do you say Pikachu, want to join us? I will release you if you would be happier out here" he explained.

Pikachu was amazed that he was given a choice. He always thought that if he were captured, it would be for life no questions asked, but Ash was giving him a choice.

He thought that the goal Ash explained sounded fun and he would like to make some new friends. He was also constantly bored out here. He remembered seeing an old man around here a couple of times from the nearby town and thought about pranking the old guy via an electrical attack just for laughs, but this sounded better.

Pikachu wasn't sure what it was, but he felt that his life would change for the better if he went with Ash. Not only would he make a friend, but he also suspected he would see some once in a lifetime things with Ash.

Pikachu then smiled and said, "_Pikapi Pika!_" while pointing to Ash. Ash was ecstatic and responded "Welcome to the team Pikachu!" Pikachu was about to cheer when…

"_OOOOOOOOOHHHH"_

The four of them looked up into the sky and their mouths dropped to the ground at what they saw. Over the clearing, a large, majestic bird was seen flying west, its beauty a sight to behold. The books Ash read that depicted legendary Pokemon really didn't do this legend any justice. This was the legendary Ho-oh.

As the legend flew on its way, the four of them were frozen in place, unable to believe their luck as they were all thinking, "**The first day of our journey and we see the legendary Ho-oh! How lucky are we?"**

Ash was the first to snap out of it and said, "It's as if Ho-oh was blessing our journey together. One thing is for sure, this will probably be no ordinary journey." His friends all nodded in agreement, while staring at the spot in the sky where Ho-oh once was.

Ash continued, "Bagon, why don't you rest a while? We need to get you and Pikachu to the Pokemon Center to recover a bit." Bagon nodded before he was absorbed by a red light into his Pokeball.

Ash turned his attention to Eevee as he picked up Pikachu, "Eevee, let's get going."

"Eev!"

* * *

(Meanwhile…)

Ho-oh chuckled to herself; she had seen Ash and his reaction to her appearance, as well as the reactions of his Pokemon. "**That was the first time I have revealed myself to a human in centuries, but it was definitely worth it" **she thought to herself while grinning.

Her thoughts then turned to Ash and the reason that she revealed herself to him in the first place. "**Chosen One, no…Ash, I have granted you a blessing for your journey, for you have a truly pure heart and will surely go on to do great things" **she mused.

She smiled sadly at this, as she knew that Ash would likely get involved in various world-wide problems involving legendary Pokemon. "**Hopefully my blessing will help keep you safe, for just as the other legends may need your help, I too will need your help. You are the key" **She finished cryptically as she continued towards the Johto region.

* * *

(Back with Ash…)

Ash, Eevee and Pikachu just arrived in Viridian City. They entered the city without an issue, but were quickly being stopped by the local Officer Jenny.

Ash had to explain why Eevee and Pikachu were out of their Pokeballs, and after providing some ID via the Pokedex, she pointed the way to the Pokemon Center. She had also explained where the Poke Mart was as well.

He decided to quickly stop by the Poke Mart to obtain some supplies and then went over to the Pokemon Center so his Pokemon could be healed.

He walked through the doors to the Pokemon Center and absently noted that it was empty, but went up to the desk to talk to the Nurse who was typing some information into her computer when she noticed him. "Hello, how may I help you?"

Ash placed Pikachu, Eevee and his Pokeballs on the counter, "Nurse Joy, will you heal my Pokemon and give them a checkup?"

Nurse Joy nodded and replied, "Of course, that is what we are here for" as she accepted the Pokeballs.

Ash sent her a grateful look and said, "Thanks" and went to sit down for a moment to rest, but he didn't get to rest long. A few minutes later, Ash was called up to get his healed Pokemon.

"_Pika, Pikachu!" _Pikachu said upon seeing his new trainer and friend and jumped onto his left shoulder. Eevee just yipped excitedly while wagging his tail. Nurse Joy giggled at their enthusiasm.

"Here you go, your Pokemon are fully healed. The last one is still in his Pokeball." Nurse Joy informed.

He nodded, but was silently impressed. Technology was something that he wasn't overly interested in, but technology that could completely heal Pokemon of mild to moderate battle injuries in minutes was not something to be ignored.

He reached for and accepted his Pokeballs…

CRASH!

Two other Pokeballs dropped from the ceiling and opened up, revealing an Ekans and a Koffing.

(A/N: I'm not going to bother with the TR motto as we have all heard it a million times and don't need to hear it again)

Ash was getting irritated at these two idiots for breaking the glass in the roof, because they looked ready to attack, and because of that horrendous motto. He decided to stay calm for now though, and instead ask, "What do you guys want with the Pokemon Center?"

James answered, "We're here to take all the valuable Pokemon in the Pokemon Center. They are coming with us!"

Nurse Joy became scared for the fate of the Pokemon in her care and nervously replied, "Y-you can't, we only have sick and injured Pokemon here."

"That may be true, but there are bound to be at least a few gems amongst all the trash" Jessie replied. "_So hand over the Pokemon or else_" Meowth said while unsheathing his claws, ready for a fight.

At this point, Ash was angry. He now knew that these two and their talking Meowth were definitely here to cause trouble by stealing all the Pokemon here. These Pokemon are injured or sick, and have developed friendships with their respective trainers, and Team Rocket would have the nerve to wreck that!

Pikachu was no better, as he started glaring at Team Rocket as well and his cheeks started crackling with energy, while Eevee just growled. These three were going to pay for even considering such a thing!

Ash looked down to the floor, fists clenched and stepped forward. Everyone's eyes were on the kid in front of them. After a moment, Ash spoke in a soft, but ominous voice, "You come here with the intent to steal Pokemon; Pokemon that other trainers have built close bonds with and are currently sick or injured."

Ash then looked up glaring at Team Rocket and boomed, "_**I won't stand for it!"**_

Team Rocket promptly flinched and backed away a bit, their Pokemon included. Ash's eyes were glowing a light blue color with traces of a darker blue in them. None of them had ever seen anything like this before.

Every Member of Team Rocket was thinking, "**What is with that boy's eyes and voice?**" This thought didn't last long however, as Team Rocket decided to attack as they didn't exactly want to find out.

Jessie commanded, "Ekans use Bite on that Pikachu now!" James followed suit, "Koffing, use Smokescreen!"

Ash decided to send them packing and turned to the companion on his shoulder, "Thundershock, Pikachu. Target the Smokescreen attack." Pikachu nodded, jumped off his friend's shoulder and sent the electric attack their way.

The Thundershock made contact with the smokescreen and caused a massive explosion which blew the part of the ceiling that Team Rocket was near to pieces. Team Rocket could be heard in high in the sky, "Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off!"

Ash calmed down and examined the damage. He immediately turned around to face Nurse Joy and apologize. Nurse Joy just waved it off saying, "That's not important. What is important is that you saved the Pokemon here and I am very grateful for that. The city can fix the damages, but I am curious, what happened with your eyes earlier?"

Ash was confused, "What do you mean Nurse Joy?"

Nurse Joy answered, "Your eyes were glowing a light blue color with a hint of a darker blue in them. I've never seen anything like that before and I thought you might know."

Ash shook his head and replied, "Sorry Nurse Joy I'm not entirely sure. That hasn't happened to me before to my knowledge, but I will keep an eye out for it now. To be honest, I didn't even notice anything, so I'm sure it is nothing to be concerned about, especially now that they are back to normal based on what you said."

Nurse Joy wasn't entirely convinced, but relented. "Alright, but if that happens again, you may want to get it checked out."

Ash agreed and said, "Anyway, if everything is under control, I need to get going, so I'll see you again sometime."

Nurse Joy smiled and called out as he walked away, "Ok, take care. Enjoy your journey!"

Ash returned the smile and waved as he walked on to Viridian Forest, his Pokemon by his side.

**Chapter 1 End**

A/N: That's it for this Chapter. Ash's journey appears to already be off to an interesting start. A few more important things for this story:

1) A bit of a slow start for a long chapter, but I felt a lot of key events happened with Ash toward the beginning of his journey. The next chapter (possibly the next two) will cover the rest of Kanto as it is just the first pass through and the Journey will officially begin in Johto.

2) Ash will be getting some of his old Pokemon, but not all of them. The ones he will not be getting will be replaced with other Pokemon (some that Ash should have caught in the anime, but for whatever reason did not, and some that are not related to the anime at all).

Salamence: _Heh, I beat Pikachu up pretty good back then with that critical hit headbutt. That was my favorite battle as a Bagon. _

Pikachu: _Hey, I didn't know you were a dragon type and were resistant to my electricity back then. Your kind isn't common in Kanto._ *As he subconsciously rubs his head*****

Salamence: *snorts* _Sure you didn't. Anyway CG, this Chapter wasn't so bad, but you better keep trying your best or else. _

_*_Flames started building around Salamence's mouth_*_

CG: *Gulp* Got it, but are you are only saying that because you got mentioned in a good light in the very first chapter?

Salamence: Well yeah, any chapter that doesn't feature me without a good reason is terrible.

CG: Sigh, I just can't win with you. ***Ash, why didn't you tell Salamence to listen to me and behave when you left? Why!?* **

*Salamence starts charging a Dragon Pulse*

CG: Alright, Alright! Note to self, don't EVER think or say anything negative about Salamence; just don't launch that! I can't go replacing something every chapter!

_*_Salamence dissipated the Dragon Pulse and walked off somewhere_*_

CG:Whew! Sorry guys. You see, Ash left just yesterday, so I haven't had much time with Salamence just yet. Hopefully I'll be able to make friends with him shortly. I guess I'll just have to start by doing well on this story. Maybe Salamence….

CRASH!

CG: *facepalm* Oh come on, what happened this time?

Pikachu: _I'm guessing Salamence broke something, but let's check it out. _

CG: ….Great. Oh well, until next time everyone!

-CyberGuardian7


	3. The Bonds of Friendship

**Journey of Dreams: Chapter 2 Start**

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is owned by the Pokemon Company. I only own this story.

A/N: Hey guys, CyberGuardian7 here back with Chapter 2 of the Journey of Dreams. I was not able to finish the Kanto region in this chapter, but hopefully it will be finished soon. Anyway, I also wanted to give everyone a reminder that any/all updates and important notes regarding the Journey of Dreams (and any story I may write) will be posted on my profile, not in the story itself.

The questions I did not answer from the reviews are ones that will likely be addressed in this Fanfiction soon (probably within a few chapters). There was an important question in the reviews however, so I'll answer that now.

_**Satoshi and Touko: I know this will not have an AshxMisty pairing (Thank Arceus!), but will it have a pairing at all?**_

CG: This story (probably its sequel) will have a pairing for Ash, but it will not be for a while. Ash is still only 10 at this point and needs to grow and gain experience before considering a relationship. Now on with the story!

?: _Wait! Aren't you going to introduce me? You totally forgot to do that! By the way what was that noise earlier?_

CG: *cringes* That was Salamence breaking my 45" plasma screen TV, but this time it was by accident. He was just walking through the living room and his wing brushed against it, sending it plummeting to its unfortunate death….please don't remind me again. **I really need to take any and all valuables and lock them up.**

CG: Oh, I almost forgot. I actually didn't forget to introduce you; I purposely haven't introduced you yet because you are Eevee's evolution and we haven't gotten to that point in the story yet. I'll probably introduce you sometime in the next few chapters. You know your story better than I do; I'm just writing down what you told me in your story, but it takes time.

?: _….Alright, you'd better reveal me soon though or Salamence will be the least of your problems. Where is Salamence anyway?_

CG: Salamence is currently resting in my backyard and I have no intention of waking him up right now; I don't have a death wish. I'd rather not have another incident this time. Oh yeah before I forget, reviews would be greatly appreciated! To all the readers out there: Here is Chapter 2.

"Normal Human Speech"

"**Human/Pokemon Thoughts"**

"_Pokemon Speech"_

* * *

The sun was just now setting, the last few rays peeking through the trees as Ash and company arrived in Viridian Forest. They were currently looking for place to set up camp for the night.

Pikachu and Ash yawned and were getting a bit tired while Eevee was still full of energy. He was too excited about this journey to be tired at the moment.

As they were walking Eevee called out, "_Ve!_" and pointed out the small clearing up ahead with his paw. Ash grinned as they walked in the clearing up ahead and decided to have a look around.

As he was currently looking around the edges of the clearing he thought, "**This clearing is definitely a good landmark in the forest to prevent us from getting lost, but it is a bit out in the open. I wonder if….ah, there!" **

Ash spotted a small area as he walked along the west side of the clearing. It was perfect; it was about 10 yards away from the clearing and he could hear a current of water on the other side which told him there was a nearby stream.

"Eevee come over here! Let's set up camp" he called out. Eevee came over and started checking out the nearby area as Ash pulled out his sleeping bag. Ash then decided to get some firewood and berries, but decided to call Bagon out first.

He grabbed Bagon's Pokeball and enlarged it. He then tossed it up, "Bagon, come on out and join us."

Bagon appeared and he immediately saw his new friends Eevee and Pikachu looking at him. They smiled and greeted him with their respective cries. Bagon smiled back and greeted them in turn.

The three of them started talking for a moment to get to know each other a bit more while Ash was observing their behavior. He was thrilled that they were all getting along so well. He would have been fine to let this go on, but a bit of work had to be done first.

"Hey guys, I'm going to go get some firewood to start a fire. Pikachu and Eevee, I need you guys to watch the camp for just a bit." Pikachu and Eevee responded with their respective cries and a look that said, "Just leave it to us."

Ash nodded and turned to Bagon, "Will you come with me Bagon? I could use just a little help if you don't mind." Bagon grinned and nodded, "_Bagon!_" and followed Ash as he left to get firewood.

* * *

(With Ash and Bagon…)

Ash was ecstatic as he thought about the possibilities of his journey and getting the chance to do it with his best friend. He also thought about what had happened in the Pokemon Center earlier that day with his eyes. His eyes were normally black as they were dilated a bit most of the time, but certainly never glowed blue before.

As Ash started picking up logs and Bagon picked some nearby Pecha berries, he remembered a conversation he had with his father just last week last week via a video call in his living room…

* * *

(Flashback – 7 days ago)

"Hey Son, how are things going? Are you and Bagon doing well?"

Ash declared with enthusiasm, "Things are going great! Bagon and I are both doing well and are as close as ever. He has become my best friend."

Ash's father smiled warmly at this. To be honest, he knew Ash would be able to handle Bagon. He hadn't told Ash yet, but his family had a natural affinity with Dragon-type Pokemon.

The Ketchum family had several common traits that always seemed to be passed down to the next generation; including courage, determination, the desire to be strong and protect, and respect for others.

These traits were very common with Dragon-type Pokemon, more so than with any other type. The Ketchum family's affinity with Dragon-type Pokemon is made possible through these very qualities that both groups share, specifically through their Aura.

Dragon or dragon-like Pokemon always seem to possess an abundance of natural energy (more so than many other Pokemon types) which is usually tied with a strong life force; This is why Dragon-type Pokemon usually have so much sheer power.

Aura is known as the life force of all living things; it is never in a constant state as it can fade or grow, depending on the will of the life it resides in. As Aura is very dependent on the will of its host, it is also closely tied to and influenced with emotions; however that is also what makes Aura dangerous if not used correctly.

This is why he decided to tell Ash about all of this; he had a feeling Ash would start using his Aura soon whether he realized it or not.

Ash was watched his father and noticed his expression had changed from a warm smile, to one of debate. "Dad, is something wrong? You look like you are struggling with something."

Ash's father snapped out of it, "Oh, no everything is fine. However there is something I would like to talk to you about soon…oh, hi Delia" He noticed Delia had walked up behind Ash and saw him. He smiled sheepishly while he counted down mentally, "**3..2..1"**

"RILEY SATOSHI KETCHUM! Why have you not called in a month!?" Delia yelled with an angry expression.

Ash's father jumped at this outburst and nearly dropped the phone, but he got a steady hold on it. "Sorry dear, I have been in training for _that_, but I'm almost finished with it. I was actually going to tell Ash that we will have a talk about _it_ in person soon" he explained.

Delia visibly calmed and decided to listen for now, but Ash was confused, "Dad what are you talking about?"

He sighed, but smiled softly and responded, "Ash, there is something about our family you need to know; however we will need to discuss it in person. I know your journey starts later this week, but you said something about participating in the Johto League starting in about two months the last time we talked right?"

Ash nodded and his father continued, "Then I will see you just before you take off for Johto to talk to you about it. If you notice anything odd happening with your body before then don't worry about it. I will explain it when you return. I need to go now, but keep in mind what I taught you. Your bond with your Pokemon will be the most important part of your journey, and is one of the most important aspects of life as they can be not only your Pokemon and partners, but also your closest friends."

Ash nodded and smiled, "I'll remember that Dad! I love you and I'll see you soon."

Delia decided to interject softly, "I love you Riley. Take care and come home safely."

Ash's father returned the smile and said, "I love you too son, take care of yourself on your journey. Delia, I'll see you before you know it. I love you honey" and with that Riley ended the call…..

(Flashback end)

* * *

Ash turned toward Bagon as he looked at Ash, "Bagon, I'm so grateful that Dad introduced us. We have come such a long way in 5 years, and I can't wait for all of the future adventures and experiences we will have together. I couldn't have wished for a better starter and best friend."

He proceeded with, "I know we will go on to do great things and make many close friends along the way, just like Eevee and Pikachu. I will have a close relationship with all of my Pokemon, but our bond will always be a little closer as you were my starter and the first Pokemon I made friends with."

Bagon was touched by Ash's words, but wholeheartedly agreed. He grinned widely and said, "_Ba, Bagon!_"

Ash finished getting as many logs as he could carry and Bagon was also holding as many berries as he could. Ash finished his thought with, "Let's head back, the others are waiting." They started on their way back, but unknown to them there was a figure in the trees watching them as they walked off.

* * *

She had heard everything the young boy had said after he unintentionally woke her up and decided to confront them tomorrow. "**All of the trainers I have seen pass through here were arrogant and believed that nothing could stop them, but they never bothered to consider what their Pokemon felt."**

She had seen many Pokemon that either felt uncertain about their new trainer as they didn't spend much time with them, or some that had hated their trainer as they were being pushed too hard against their will, or abused.

She wanted to travel with a trainer to get stronger, but also wanted to travel with one that saw her for who she was and treated her as such, not as a fighting machine.

She continued, "**This trainer though, he appears to treat his Pokemon with the respect that he would give another human and seems to genuinely care. That Pokemon of his, Bagon I think he called it, seemed to genuinely care for him as well. Rest well human, for I will see you tomorrow and you will be in for a tough fight."**

With that, she flew off and decided to prepare for their meeting tomorrow and to get some rest…

* * *

Ash and Bagon arrived at the camp site to find Pikachu and Eevee observing their surroundings, but talking a little bit. They saw Ash and ran up to greet him.

"Hey Guys, I'm back! Let's get this fire started shall we?" he responded. The three Pokemon wholeheartedly agreed with him on that idea and expressed their thoughts as such. Ash laughed at this, "Excited to be near a warm fire huh guys? We'll get it going very soon" and with that, he placed the firewood down. As soon as the firewood was placed in a pile, Ash got some decent-sized stones and started to build a small wall around the wood with them.

After about 30-minutes of doing this and seeing that the area was secure and cleared of anything flammable; Ash called out, "Bagon I know it isn't perfected yet, but this area is secure. Will you start the fire with an Ember?"

Bagon nodded and launched Ember at the wood starting the fire.

Ash sat down on a nearby log and his companions set next to him. Bagon placed all of the berries in front of them and everyone grabbed two berries for dinner. When they were finished eating, there was 1 Pecha berry, 2 Cheri berries, and 1 Sitrus berry remaining.

Ash grabbed them and stored them in his backpack near the Oran berry. He then pulled out a brush and started to groom Eevee as the Pokemon resumed talking with each other as they had before. Eevee seemed to really enjoy the grooming, though Ash wasn't completely sure why Eevee liked it so much.

After about an hour or so Ash told his friends, "Let's go to sleep guys, tomorrow we will start our new training routine. I will watch the fire for a while." All of them nodded and went to sleep for the night.

Ash decided to stay up for another hour before deciding to call it a night. He got up and decided to get a drink first, so he pulled a Fresh Water from his backpack and downed it. When he finished it he went to the nearby stream, filled it up, and returned to the campsite to put out the fire. He then went to sleep for the night next to his Pokemon.

* * *

(The next day….)

"Alright guys, we are going to do some training, but before that I'm going to scan you guys to see what moves you know." They nodded and Ash scanned them with the Pokedex. It revealed that Pikachu knew Thundershock, Quick Attack, Tail Whip, and Thunder Wave.

Eevee seemed to know Tackle, Tail Whip and Dig, but the Pokedex showed the move Shadow Ball faded out. Ash took that to mean that Eevee had been working on that move, but hadn't mastered it yet. He didn't bother scanning Bagon as he already knew Bagon's moves: Rage, Bite, Focus Energy, Headbutt, and Ember. He also had a hidden egg move, but that attack was highly advanced and Bagon needed more training before attempting to use it.

Ash was impressed with their progress and said, "Wow, you all have some good starting moves! I am impressed, but how about I help you guys to learn even stronger moves?" All of his Pokemon cheered excitedly and Ash chuckled at their enthusiasm.

"Great! We will be practicing for about 2 hours, with a 10-minute break after the first hour. Here is what will go down: Pikachu and Eevee, you guys will be working on Iron Tail as that will help with Rock and Ghost types."

He continued, "To learn this move, you need to strengthen your tail muscles by using them a lot. Start by moving your tails up and down at a normal pace repeatedly until you can no longer do so. This will build your muscles a bit. While you are doing this, try to focus on your tail and see if you can divert your energy to it. If your tail starts to glow, you are close to mastering it."

Eevee and Pikachu nodded and got to work with what they were told.

Ash smiled and called Bagon over to the stream he found yesterday. He turned to him and said, "Bagon, we will be working on focusing your Ember attack for now. You know how to do the move, but it still appears to be just a bit unfocused. That is likely due to releasing the energy almost immediately after it builds. Try to focus the fire from Ember a bit just a little bit more before releasing it and you will have Ember completely mastered. After a while, you will be able to launch it quickly again, but for now we will focus on the timing."

Bagon nodded and began practicing Ember on the stream so nothing would catch fire. Ash watched his Pokemon and offered pointers where they would be useful in helping to master their moves, but the instructions Ash gave at the start seemed to be helping them a lot.

That was one of the things that Ash studied the past 5 years; He looked up various moves and tried to learn the mechanics behind how they worked and right now he was glad he did so as that enabled him to help his Pokemon more effectively. Once they were done here, they would head to Pewter City.

He decided to do a few push-ups while his Pokemon were practicing their moves until he either noticed something else or they wanted some advice. He figured if his Pokemon are going to work hard, he should as well.

* * *

(2 hours, one capture, and a need to visit the Pokemon Center later)

Ash was in Pewter City heading to the Pokemon Center. His Pokemon were currently in their Pokeballs; all of them were exhausted and some were in need of healing. Right after their training session a Pidgeotto found them and wanted to battle. Unfortunately, Eevee was knocked out after exchanging a few blows with Pidgeotto and Pikachu took a few hits as well, but was able to win with a point-blank Thundershock.

"**At least Eevee managed to master Iron Tail during the fight with Pidgeotto. I** **didn't expect him to master it so quickly. Pikachu needs a little bit more work, but he should have it down soon." **He thought.

Bagon had also mastered his control of Ember in those 2 hours, so they were making progress. As soon as he had finished that thought, he saw the Pokemon Center up ahead and picked up his pace a bit.

He walked through the doors to find Nurse Joy at the desk writing an entry into a log of sorts.

He was a bit perplexed by this and decided to ask, "Nurse Joy? I thought I saw you at the Pokemon Center in Viridian City? How did you get here so quickly?" He questioned.

Nurse Joy casually responded, "Oh, you must have met my sister. There are actually quite a few of us and we all look pretty similar so I can understand the why you mistook me for her. Take a look at this."

Ash peered over to the photo Nurse Joy had in her hands and his jaw dropped. There must have been at least 20 Nurse Joys in the picture; what was worse was that he couldn't tell them apart!

He sweatdropped and replied, "Err, that's quite the family you've got there."

Nurse Joy agreed and said, "Yes, but we all have different personalities despite looking very similar to each other. Anyway, how can I help you today?"

Ash recalled the reason he visited and took out his four Pokeballs and handed them over after providing his name. "My Pokemon are kind of exhausted and need healing. We were training in the forest for a couple of hours and when we finished, a Pidgeotto attacked. It wanted to come with me, but it wanted me to prove my worth as a Trainer first" he explained.

Nurse Joy understood and said, "A Pidgeotto is quite rare in those woods, but they are strong for newer Trainers. Anyway, I'll take care of them Ash. It should only be a few minutes."

Ash nodded and decided to wait at the desk; he didn't want to get started on an interesting read only to have it interrupted. That was when he noticed a man at the other end of the desk walking up to him.

The man started, "Hi my name is Brock. I noticed that you appear to be a new Trainer and already have about 4 Pokemon from the looks of it. Are you a new Trainer?"

Ash responded, "Yeah, I just became a Trainer yesterday, but I've been training my starter for about 3 years. My name is Ash and my goal is to one day become a Pokemon Master."

Brock was shocked at this, "3 years!? No offense Ash, but I know a person needs to be at least 10 before they can become a Trainer and you don't look like you are 13 yet. How did you manage that?"

Ash shrugged, "I am 10, but I met my starter when I was 5 as he was a gift from my father. After talking with my Mom, we agreed that I could do very mild training with him after I turned 7 under her supervision. Before that, I was spending time getting to know my starter to develop a bond with him. My father taught me that was the most important aspect of being a trainer and I agree with him."

Brock nodded and smiled, "Yeah, I also believe that is the most important part of being a trainer. That's quite the story by the way. Are you looking to battle the Gym Leader to take on the Indigo League?"

To Brock's surprise, Ash shook his head, "No, I am actually just making a 2-month pass through Kanto before heading over to Johto. I want to take on the Indigo League last since it is in my birth region. Although I would be interested to know who the Gym Leader is. Do you know the Leader by chance?"

Brock smirked, "Actually you are looking at him. That is why I am here, I just got done with a gym battle and I am waiting to get my Pokemon after they heal."

He decided to ask, "Once our Pokemon are healed, can I interest you in a mock battle? It does not have to be official as you would like to enter the Indigo League later, but I would be interested to see your skills as a Trainer. There are few new Trainers that already have 4 Pokemon before getting their first badge."

Ash was surprised. He didn't realize that Brock was the Gym Leader in Pewter City. He also didn't expect to be challenged by the Gym Leader to a mock battle as he thought he would be the one doing the challenging. **"I could use experience in battling a Trainer, and it is just a mock battle" **he came to a solution.

He smirked, "Sure, but I will give it my all. I expect you to do the same." Brock then mirrored his smirk in response.

Nurse Joy then returned with both of their Pokemon, "Ash and Mr. Harrison, your Pokemon are fully healed. Here are your Pokemon." Ash and Brock accepted their Pokemon and walked out of the Pokemon Center and headed to the battlefield out back.

They each took their respective spots and Brock called out, "This will be a 1-on-1 battle with no substitutions. Is that acceptable?"

Ash nodded and Brock grabbed a Pokeball from his vest in response. "Geodude, Go!" He threw the ball at an angle and the Pokemon materialized with a determined expression.

Ash analyzed his opponent and retrieved a ball from his belt and tossed it straight up. "Eevee, Let's go!" Eevee then appeared on the battlefield and growled.

"I'll start this battle off since I made the challenge. Geodude, Rock Throw!" Geodude then proceeded to punch the ground hard and a few rocks flew up from the field and went hurling toward Eevee who was a bit nervous upon seeing the rocks flying in its direction.

Ash's eyes widened; he hadn't expected the attack to have so much power behind it! "Eevee, dodge that! Use Dig!" Eevee snapped out of his trance and dug underground with Dig causing the attack to land harmlessly on the field.

Geodude looked around completely confused. Brock called out, "Geodude put your hand on the ground and try to feel the vibrations! When you feel the tremors increase, dodge the attack!" Geodude nodded and did as instructed.

Ash, realizing that the attack would fail called out, "Eevee, strike now and follow it up with Iron Tail!" Eevee then immediately appeared, but Geodude dodged the attack.

Geodude didn't see Eevee's tail glowing as a follow-up attack however and got hit hard as Eevee swiftly navigated his glowing tail right onto Geodude's head.

Geodude cried out in pain as he crashed into the ground. Brock was initially concerned, but let out a sigh of relief when Geodude got back up.

"Quick, use Rock Throw again!" Geodude hurled another round of rocks at Eevee. "Eevee, there is no time to use Dig as Geodude is too close. Dodge that attack!"

Eevee jumped to the right, then back left missing the first two rocks, but was unable to dodge the third and cried out in pain.

Eevee then slowly got back on its feet while gritting its teeth. The two combatants glared at each other while panting a bit, waiting for the next attack order.

"TACKLE!" both trainers shouted at the same time. Eevee and Geodude shot towards each other and quickly collided, causing both Pokemon to back away and temporary flinch from the pain.

Brock decided to intervene, "Enough that will do." Ash looked at Brock a bit puzzled before remembering that it was a mock battle and nodded.

Brock handed Ash a Super Potion and both of them proceeded to heal their Pokemon a bit. In a few seconds, both Pokemon were back up as if no battle had taken place. They used the potions as they didn't want to abuse the Pokemon Center's services.

Brock recalled his Geodude while Eevee elected to remain out with Ash.

Brock then looked over at Ash and said, "Well Ash that was a great battle. I didn't expect Eevee to know Iron Tail already. You've been training it well."

Ash agreed, "I can say the same for your Geodude, I didn't expect that Rock Throw to have so much power behind it. Thanks for the Super Potion by the way."

Brock nodded and turned to the side for a moment and decided to take a chance and ask, "Ash, I may be a Gym Leader now, but my father just arrived in town again and will be taking over as Gym Leader again as my true goal is to become a Pokemon Breeder."

He turned back to Ash and said, "I know we just met, but I will be going on a journey as well to accomplish my dream and I was wondering if I could travel with you. Would that be alright?"

Ash considered this for a moment, but inwardly was excited about the idea. He did just meet Brock, but they seemed to hit it off pretty well so far. Brock also seems like a nice guy and seemed to know what he was doing. Add that to the fact that he was a Gym Leader, he should be trustworthy and perhaps they could learn a thing or two from each other.

Ash reached a conclusion and smiled as he answered, "Sure, I don't see the problem with that. It would be great to have a traveling companion along on my journey!"

Brock smiled and declared, "Excellent! I just need to inform my father that he is the new Gym Leader of Pewter, effective immediately, and we can head on our way."

The pair then proceeded to head to the Gym to get that sorted out and then continue on their way towards Cerulean City.

**Chapter 2 End**

* * *

A/N:I realized there were quite a few important parts that would be good to include in this chapter as well, but Kanto will hopefully be finished soon. I did come up with a small idea or two for the next chapter or two while writing this one, so I'm excited to get on that.

?: _Not bad CG. I was hoping that we would get further in this chapter, but it was good regardless_.

Pikachu: _Speak for yourself! CG, why was my battle with Pidgeotto skipped and our friend here got his battle described?_

CG: Oh come on, anyone knows that an electric type will most likely beat a flying type if they are of a similar level. Besides, you got to battle Bagon and TR in the last chapter. Our friend here didn't get a chance to battle last chapter. I'm not playing favorites.

Pikachu: …_Fine, but I better get some battle action soon._

CG: We'll see Pikachu, We'll see. By the way, I think Salamence should get up now so he can sleep tonight. Can you wake him up for me?

Pikachu: _Heck no, I don't have a death wish! You go wake him up CG; you were the one who agreed to watch us after all._

CG: ….Crap, your right. I just hope I don't get roasted alive. **Why me!? Ash, if I make it out of this alive, you owe me. **

?: _Good luck CG!_

CG: Thanks, I'll need it…Until next time everyone!_ *_carefully walks outside toward the sleeping dragon_*_


	4. Rivalry Renewed

**Journey of Dreams: Chapter 3 Start**

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, Pokemon is owned by the Pokemon Company. I only own this story.

CG: *grabs desk with one hand shakily and uses it as support while climbing up into chair.* Ugh, that is the last time that I wake that dragon up. At least we came to an understanding….Oh shoot! I'm live right now! Ahem…

A/N: Hey Guys, CyberGuardian7 here and Chapter 3 is finally completed! This chapter took a bit longer as several things needed to be covered and soon I found myself with an 8,000 word chapter. This seemed very unbalanced with the length of the other chapters, so I had to split it up. As a result of splitting the chapters, Kanto will actually be finished at the end of the next chapter. The good news is that chapter 4 is already partially written, so hopefully its upload won't be as long.

This chapter and the next one use a few time skips, but Chapter 5 should be back to the pace that we have been going at. I do not plan on doing large time skips like this very often and it should only happen where I believe it would help the story.

That being said, I hope you guys enjoy these chapters as well. Once again, if you have any thoughts, requests, or concerns regarding this story, please leave a review or send me a PM.

Pikachu: _CG, do I get any battle time in this chapter?_

CG: I guess you'll have to wait to find out, now won't you?

Pikachu: _I guess, but I really hope so. By the way, why are your clothes all torn up?_

CG: Sigh, take a guess, you have one.

Pikachu: *shudder* _Salamence...of course, stupid question. What are you going to do with him? _

CG: Well, Salamence and I—

?: _CG! The readers are waiting! We can talk about this later! By the way, you had better reveal who I am this chapter. I am losing my patience!_

CG: Whoa, chill out my friend. I am revealing you this chapter, so all is well.

?:_ *_180° mood swing_* Excellent! Let's get on with this then. Without further ado, here is Chapter 3 guys!_

CG: Hey Wai—

"Normal Human Speech"

"**Thoughts/Telepathy"**

"_Pokemon Speech"_

* * *

(Time Skip – 3 weeks)

Ash, Pikachu, and Brock were just now arriving in Lavender town and were heading to the Pokemon Center at around 10 in the morning.

They let out a sigh of relief as they walked; Rock Tunnel was always a bit unnerving as it is very dark and the Pokemon in there can surprise you quite easily if you don't have a Pokemon with Flash. Ash wanted to have Eevee rejoin them and called him out of his Pokeball. He had recalled Eevee so he wouldn't get separated from Ash.

Ash and Brock had been getting to know each other more over the past few weeks and they realized that they had a few things in common. One thing in particular that they talked about a lot is Pokemon food and preferred recipes for various Pokemon and people. Ash was careful to jot down any tips that Brock provided him in his notebook as he quickly learned that Brock was an excellent chef and had some great recipes and tricks when it came to cooking.

They had also been training with each other and caught a few Pokemon as they traveled. Ash caught a Bulbasaur in a hidden village, a Squirtle that was causing trouble for some nearby random city, and a Charmander who was abandoned by its trainer before he befriended it (Ash scared Damian senseless for even considering such a thing.)

He also caught a Magnemite that wanted to come with him after helping to clear out some Grimer out of the Power Plant. His most impressive (and difficult) capture though, was a larger than average Onix that he just found in Rock Tunnel as it was blocking their path; that fight was anything but easy.

Most Onix are about 28' in height, but this one was about 34' and Ash had to use Pikachu's electricity to provide just enough light for Squirtle to see, battle, and defeat Onix.

Ash had asked Brock why Onix was larger than normal since he was a Rock-type expert. Brock had told him that he had heard rumors of a mountain in Kanto that had giant Onix. He explained that while Rock Tunnel was not a mountain, much less that particular mountain, there may have been something in the environment that caused it to grow larger, but it was difficult to tell since the tunnel was so dark.

Brock had also obtained a couple of Pokemon, including a Zubat in Mt. Moon which he used to help stop Team Rocket when they tried to steal a gigantic Moon Stone. He also received a Vulpix from a Pokemon Breeder that he looked up to: Suzie.

After Ash and Brock helped restore Suzie's self-confidence (again, more trouble caused by Team Rocket) she decided that she needed to do some soul-searching. Suzie saw potential in Brock and asked him to take Vulpix along as she needed to do this alone and Vulpix seemed to like couldn't refuse a request from his role model, so he accepted it.

Despite gaining two additional Pokemon, Brock left his Onix behind so his father had a good Pokemon to use against challengers. "**Onix was always a hard worker and a great friend. He will do a great job defending our badge" **he mused.

Brock snapped out of his thoughts as they arrived at the local Pokemon Center. Just as they were about to walk through the main doors, a man with spiky, brown hair walked out and bumped into Ash.

"Ow! Hey watch where yo—well, if it isn't Ashy-boy."

Ash looked up at the person who spoke to him as he held his head in mild pain and glared, "Gary! What are you doing here!?"

Gary smirked, "Well unlike you, I've been working toward my dream of becoming a Pokemon Master. I've already got 3 badges. How many do you have Ashy-boy?"

Ash smirked in return and said, "I don't have any badges yet, because my plan to become a Pokemon Master is different than your approach Gary."

Gary lost it at this point and laughed, "H-H-Hahaha! Ashy-boy, I don't know if anyone told you, but if you don't have 8 badges, you won't get the chance to battle in the Indigo League, let alone trying to become a Master."

Ash adopted a serious expression and responded, "As I said, my plans are different from yours, but before we get into that, I challenge you to a battle!"

Gary stopped laughing at this and uncertainly replied, "Seriously Ash? I have 3 badges and you don't have any. How do you expect to win?"

Ash calmed down and answered with, "Just because I don't have any badges doesn't mean I haven't been training. Do not underestimate me."

Gary studied Ash for a moment before grinning, "Alright Ash, let's see what you've got." He turned toward Brock and looked confused for a moment before he remembered who this individual was. "Hey aren't you Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader I defeated? What are you doing here?"

Brock casually replied, "I gave the position to my father since he returned. I actually wanted to become a Pokemon Breeder."

Gary nodded, "Not bad, that is a great goal actually. Maybe I could get some tips from you later, but for now, would you mind being the referee for our match?"

Brock agreed to do so and stood at the edge of the battlefield while Ash and Gary took their places.

Ash was a little annoyed that Gary wasn't being a jerk to Brock, but was always trouble for him. "**That will change soon enough. I've just got to beat him at a League" **he smirked inwardly.

He called out to Gary, "This will be a 3v3, 1-on-1 elimination style battle. First to knock out two of the opponent's Pokemon is the winner and no substitutions are allowed. Agreed?"

Gary just shrugged with his eyes closed and a grin on his face, "Eh, whatever. I'll beat you regardless of the circumstances."

Ash was beginning to lose his cool again, but stopped when he remembered that his battling would be hampered if he lost control of his emotions. He reached for a Pokeball and tossed it, "Pidgeotto let's win this!"

Pidgeotto appeared with a determined expression on her face, wondering who she would be up against.

Gary was mildly impressed, but grabbed a Pokeball from his belt and threw it up, "Nidorino, Go!"

Nidorino appeared and smirked when he saw his opponent. Pidgeotto just glared at it in response.

Ash gritted his teeth, "**Drat! He had to choose a Pokemon with Poison Point! Now I can't use half of Pidgeotto's moves without risking poison." **

Gary was getting a bit impatient and shouted, "Hey Ashy-boy. You're going to lose regardless, so stop stalling already! The first move is yours."

Ash ignored his friend's goading and decided to attack, "Pidgeotto, use Gust!" Pidgeotto immediately responded by flapping her wings as hard as she could. Nidorino had to grip the ground hard, but was still skidding back as his energy was being drained a bit.

Gary called, "Nidorino hit it with Thunderbolt!" Nidorino's body started crackling and he sent a blast of electricity at Pidgeotto and scored a direct hit, causing Pidgeotto to cry out in pain.

Ash was surprised; he did not expect Gary's Nidorino to have a long-ranged attack already, much less a powerful one. He expected that to be the case after it had evolved.

Ash snapped out of it, and yelled, "Pidgeotto, dive and hit it with your new move! Steel Wing now!"

Pidgeotto regained her focus and did a sharp dive and nailed Nidorino who cried out in pain as he was pushed back. Nidorino's Poison Point activated and Gary smirked, but when Pidgeotto landed, she showed no signs of being poisoned. Gary's jaw dropped.

"What happened, why didn't Pidgeotto get poisoned? I saw Poison Point activate! What did you do Ash?" he demanded while glaring at his opponent.

Ash smirked, "You must not have known, but Steel Wing is a steel type move, and Poison is completely ineffective against it. Pidgeotto did touch Nidorino directly, but because her wing was coated with a steel-like film so the poison could not reach her."

Ash was inwardly thrilled that he managed to surprise Gary with one of his strategies, "**There's more where that came from Gary!"**

Gary facepalmed, unable to believe that he hadn't thought of that, "Not bad Ash, but let's see how you deal with this, "Nidorino, use Horn Attack!"

Pidgeotto was too close and was unable to evade the attack as it struck her, causing Pidgeotto to fall to the ground with swirls in her eyes.

Brock looked over Pidgeotto and announced, "Pidgeotto is unable to battle. Nidorino is the winner! Trainers, send out your next Pokemon."

Both trainers recalled their Pokemon and Gary selected his next Pokemon. "Abra, I choose you!" Gary's Abra appeared on the field, ready for battle, but unusually relaxed.

Ash was determined to step up his game a bit as he threw his next Pokeball high in the sky, "Onix, I choose you!" A roar was heard as Ash's unusually large rock serpent appeared on the field.

Gary gulped a bit. He knew from his studies with his Grandfather, as well as his battle with Brock that Onix are very large, but this one was huge! "Ash, I don't know how you managed to get a slightly larger Onix, but it won't be enough to beat me" he finished with a cocky grin.

Ash was uninterested and simply replied, "We'll see. Onix, start with a Tackle now!" Onix charged toward Abra, intending to land a huge hit, but Gary calmly commanded, "Dodge with Teleport!"

Abra suddenly vanished, causing Onix to hit nothing but ground. Ash quickly thought of a counter strategy, "Onix, use Rock throw over the entire field!"

Onix roared and slammed its massive tail into the ground causing several rocks to go flying in different directions. Abra re-appeared only to get caught by one of the rocks and promptly fainted.

Brock saw Abra's condition and called out, "Abra is unable to battle; the victor is Onix!" He inwardly grinned when he announced this as he was a bit biased and was pleased that Ash's only Rock-type won that match.

Gary groaned, "Really? It landed a critical hit on the first hit and on top of Abra's poor defense too… I guess we'll work on that, Abra return." Gary recalled Abra and thought, "**I'll have to remember Ash's Onix; it is already really strong**."

Ash recalled Onix and looked to the Pokemon next to him, "Eevee, I choose you my friend!" Eevee jumped on the field, and started jumping around, excited for battle.

Gary thought it was pretty cute, but he wasn't here to praise Ash's Pokemon; he was here to defeat them.

Gary thought over his final choice for a moment before sending out his Pokemon, "Electabuzz, you're up!"

Electabuzz materialized on the field and started punching his fists together in determination for this battle. Eevee was a little intimidated and backed up a bit and sent a worried look to Ash. "_Ve?_" he said weakly.

Ash smiled at Eevee and said, "Eevee, I know it looks like we are a bit outmatched, but I know you can do it. I'll be here with you as well. Let's do this!" he said optimistically. Eevee smiled at this and yipped happily "Ve! Eevee!" and faced his opponent with a glare.

Gary called out to Ash, "We'll start things off this time Ash. Electabuzz, use Thundershock!" Electabuzz briefly charged electricity before sending it toward Eevee.

Ash was quick to respond however, "Eevee, jump to dodge and follow it up with Bite!" Eevee dodged the attack with an impressive jump and went in to attack.

Gary was only too eager to reply, "Electabuzz, give that Eevee a Shock Wave when it comes in."

Seconds later, Eevee cried out in pain as it was struck with an arc of electricity and fell to the ground. Eevee struggled to get up with one eye open while gritting its teeth before regaining its composure a few moments later.

Ash looked on a bit worried; he had forgotten that Electabuzz learns that powerful attack early on in its training. It was a strong move for Electabuzz since it also got the Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) and it couldn't be avoided.

He called out, "Eevee, don't push yourself too hard. I don't want you to get too injured in trying to win a fight, your safety is more important. Do you want to continue?"

Eevee looked at Ash, still amazed at how much he constantly cared for him, "**Even in the midst of this battle, when I could very well lose the match against the rival he always wanted to beat, Ash still cares so much. That's it! I've got to win this battle now, or go down hard trying!**"

Eevee nodded looking more than determined than ever. He turned toward Electabuzz and cried out "_VEEEEE!_" and suddenly started glowing blue. Energy began swirling around Eevee as he started changing shape.

Ash watched what was happening with one of his best friends and was surprised, "**Eevee is evolving and so soon too! I was told that without a stone, Eevees must have a very close friendship with their trainer to evolve!" **

Ash started tearing up a bit when reality finally sunk in, "**Eevee must trust me and value our friendship more than I thought and decided to evolve to help me win against my rival after hearing me talk about him." **Ash smiled greatly and silently thought to himself, "**Thank you so much Eevee, you don't know how much this means to me."**

The energy surrounding Eevee suddenly dissipated with a flash and Eevee's Evolution was revealed to be none other than Espeon.

Espeon turned toward Ash with a smile and telepathically said, "**No, thank you Ash!"**

Ash jumped, not used to hearing a voice in his head and looked around quickly before seeing Espeon and put 2 and 2 together. "**No way, you can use telepathy!? We have a lot to talk about later, but let's finish this battle first."**

Espeon nodded, but was looking a bit tired as he turned toward Electabuzz who was still looking quite strong.

Gary shook his head, "How lucky can you get having a Pokemon evolve during our match? Oh well, let's finish this."

Ash agreed and decided to take advantage of Electabuzz's only weakness, "Espeon, use Dig!" Espeon, known partially for its excellent speed, dug underground faster than seemingly possible for such a Pokemon. Electabuzz started looking around in confusion.

Gary reeled a bit, not expecting this move and quickly went over his options. Finally he made a choice, "Electabuzz, try and sense Espeon's movements and strike with a Shock Wave as it appears."

Electabuzz nodded and started trying to sense Espeon as he charged Electricity. 10 seconds later, both Pokemon sensed each other and attacked, Espeon nailing Electabuzz in the chest with the super-effective move as Espeon received a painful shock.

When the attacks finished, they both just stood in front of each other for a moment, glaring at their opponent before Espeon's strength finally gave out and he collapsed.

Brock looked over at Espeon and declared, "Espeon is unable to battle. Two of Ash's Pokemon are unable to battle so the victor is Gary Oak!"

Both trainers recalled their Pokemon and Ash stared at his Pokeball for a moment while deep in thought. The loss to Gary really stung his pride, but it was greatly diminished by what Espeon just did for him. His friendship to Espeon meant far more than winning a match against Gary. With that, he was able to put this loss behind him. It wasn't like this was a Pokemon League match anyway.

He turned to Gary and actually smiled, "Not bad Gary, but it won't end this way the next time. I will make sure I defeat you."

Gary smirked in return and said, "You wish Ashy-boy. Anyway, let's head to the Pokemon Center to heal our Pokemon and hear about your plan." Ash nodded, and turned to thank Brock for refereeing the match and the three of them headed to the Pokemon Center.

* * *

(Time Skip — 10 minutes)

After Ash and Gary gave Nurse Joy their Pokemon to be healed, they sat down at a nearby table and started to talk. Brock decided to wait on their Pokemon as he thought Ash needed to have this talk with his rival alone.

Gary decided to start, "So Ash, what is your plan anyway?" He had an idea of where this was going, but wanted to be sure.

Ash sighed and explained, "Well Gary, I am actually not participating in the Indigo League this year. In about a month, I am headed to the Johto Region."

Gary was mildly surprised, but not shocked. He had thought Ash might be implying that he would participate in another League during their match. There were a few things that didn't make sense though, so naturally he wanted a few answers.

"Why did you decide to participate in another League" he questioned.

Ash answered, "Well, you had an hour's head start on me when we first took off and I thought I would fall too far behind. Besides, I wanted to do the Indigo League last as it is in my home region and I know you would've given me a hard time for being so far behind."

Gary contemplated this for a moment before acknowledging what his rival said, "Yeah, I was going to give you a hard time for falling behind, but you just took the fun out of it. If you are going to participate in the Silver Conference, and I'm doing the Indigo League, how do you expect to battle me like we talked about growing up? Remember our deal?"

Ash nodded, "Yes, you said that I would only have your full respect if I could defeat you in a League match. I haven't forgotten and I've already considered that. You and I can battle at the Hoenn League in Ever Grande City once we are both finished with our respective leagues. That is where my starter is from so it is only fitting." he finished with a chuckle.

At this Gary went wide-eyed, "What! Your starter was from Hoenn! How is that possible!?"

Ash laughed at his reaction, but managed to calm down long enough to explain, "My dad gave it to me when I was 5. I wasn't allowed to train it until I was 7, but even then it was very minimal and only with supervision".

Gary shook his head, quite annoyed that Ash had a Pokemon for 5 years while he had to wait until he was 10, "Geez, how lucky can a person be? First your Pokemon evolves in our match and now I find out that you have a starter from Hoenn that you got when you were 5!"

Ash smirked at this, "What's wrong Gary, jealous?"

Gary scoffed at this, "Ha, as if! I'll still be able to beat you and your starter the next time we battle. I'm guessing that you won't show me who it is right?"

Ash shook his head, "Sorry, but you have to battle me at Ever Grande to find out. I am specifically saving him for that match. Besides, you didn't reveal your starter either."

Gary shrugged, "I guess you have a point. We'll have our League Battle at the Hoenn League then. You had better train hard; I would at least like a decent challenge from you when we fight."

Ash was a bit irritated at this comment, and threw Gary's taunt back at him, "Right back at you. I'd hate to see your Pokemon get ruthlessly crushed."

Gary started laughing as Brock came back and handed both trainers their Pokemon. Gary thanked Brock and turned to Ash and said, "Well Ashy-boy, I've got a League to prepare for, later loser!"

Ash and Brock watched Gary walk off and Ash shook his head, "Why does Gary always have to be a jerk to me every time we cross paths?"

Brock thought about that for a moment and offered his thoughts, "Maybe he knows that you will make a good opponent and it is his way of gaining confidence when he measures himself against you."

Ash considered that for a moment but shrugged it off, "**I guess I'll find out later. Right after I beat him in the Hoenn League. We'll see who the loser is then." **he finished with a smirk.

He suddenly remembered that Espeon was still in his Pokeball and called him out. Espeon appeared with a neutral expression and observed his surroundings until he spotted Ash.

Ash got down to Espeon's level and with a warm smile said, "Espeon, your evolution is a testament to our friendship which is already stronger than I realized. I want you to know that you did great in that battle and I'm very proud of you."

He continued, "I'm also very touched that you consider me a great friend already considering that we've only known each other for 3 weeks. Your friendship means a lot to me as well, but what made you consider me such a great friend so quickly?"

Espeon smiled and replied telepathically, "**Ash, we may have only known each other for three weeks, but it feels longer than that to me. When we first met, you understood rather quickly that I didn't care for Pokeballs and that I wanted more for my life than just battling. You were looking out for my interests above your own."**

Espeon pressed on, "**Since I agreed to travel with you, you have kept your promise to me about not keeping me in my Pokeball unless necessary and we have had a great adventure so far which is what I have always wanted. You spend a lot of time with us and all of your Pokemon, not just me, have learned what kind of person you are; a person that cares, and a person that looks out for others and not just himself. What you did for Charmander just proves that."**

Pikachu wholeheartedly agreed with this and said, "_Pika!_" as he nodded from his shoulder.

Ash was moved by this and said, "Thanks Espeon and Pikachu. That means a lot. By the way Espeon, how are you able to use telepathy now? I thought only a select few Pokemon could learn how to do that?"

Espeon shrugged as best he could and responded, "**Well, that is somewhat true. Psychic Pokemon are able to learn to use telepathy, but that skill comes easier for some than others. Even if a Pokemon is able to use it though, they generally won't unless it is with a great friend or to threaten someone when actions aren't enough."**

Ash sweatdropped but accepted the response. "Err...ok I suppose." Ash's face suddenly adopted a serious, yet concerned expression, "Now about the whole mind-reading thing..."

Espeon's face dropped a bit and he quickly explained, "**That was unintentional Ash. That actually wasn't mind-reading but rather reading your surface thoughts at the given time. Those are very hard for a Psychic to ignore, but among Psychics it is considered very rude to read the mind of someone without obtaining permission unless it would be necessary to in case of an emergency, so it does not happen often. Please don't be upset with me.**"

Ash inwardly sighed in relief, but he smiled and pet Espeon who looked up at him in confusion. "Espeon, I am not upset with you, I was just curious as to how that worked as it surprised me, that's all. I appreciate you explaining that to me though. I have no problem sharing surface thoughts with you and communicating with telepathy either."

Ash ended with, "Also, even if you did read my mind, I wouldn't be upset with you as I have nothing to hide from you guys and I trust you. I would appreciate a heads up if possible though if you end up doing that." he finished with a chuckle.

Espeon finally cracked a smile at this, "**Thank you Ash. You truly are a unique human and my best friend."**

Ash grinned, happy that he cheered up his friend and replied, "No problem. We should probably get going though." He turned to Brock and said, "Thanks for getting our Pokemon Brock."

Brock had been watching Ash talk with Espeon, and he guessed that Espeon was communicating telepathically with as much as Ash seemed to understand him. He snapped out of this thoughts and said, "Sure thing Ash, but you are right we should leave. We aren't even halfway back to Pallet yet and we've got to make it back in about a month to go to Johto. Let's get going."

Ash agreed and with that, they left the Pokemon Center and set out for Fuchsia City.

**Chapter 3 End**

* * *

A/N: Eh, I think this chapter could still use work and I might update it when I find a way to give it more life so to speak. I still have high hopes for this story though and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

CG: Espeon, why did you do that?

Espeon: _Why did I do what? _*Looking at CG with what appears to be an innocent look*

CG: Why did you start the….Forget it. I suppose it doesn't matter.

Espeon: *rubs against leg* _Thanks for revealing me CG. I don't like being a mystery all the time. By the way, what were you saying about you and Salamence earlier?_

CG: Ah right, well after waking up on the wrong side of his bed he attacked, but I only managed to save myself by saying that I needed to continue writing this story, otherwise it would never be finished….he made sure that I learned never to wake him up again though. I ended up reading Chapters 1 and 2 to him though and he seemed to calm down a bit.

Pikachu: _So does that mean that Salamence doesn't hate you anymore?_

CG: Sigh, that is where it gets complicated. He doesn't seem to outright hate me anymore, but he doesn't like me either. I think it will change in time, hopefully for the better.

Espeon: _Didn't Salamence say that any chapter that he wasn't in was a horrible chapter? What is he gonna do when he demands that you read this to him?_

CG: ...Shoot! I knew I was forgetting something. I'd better get writing on the next chapter ASAP! If I have to read this to him, I'd better have the next one ready with him in it!

Salamence: *Off in the distance getting closer* _CG, is that chapter finished yet?_

CG: *pales* Oh no. Guys I need you to stall him!

Pikachu &amp; Espeon: _Sorry CG, you're on your own for this. *walks out of the room*_

CG: Traitors…fine, let's hope I can get lucky. Until next time everyone!

-CyberGuardian7


	5. Farewell Kanto - The Journey Begins!

**Journey of Dreams: Chapter 4 Start**

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is owned by the Pokemon Company. The only thing I own is this story.

CG: Hey Guys! CyberGuardian7 here and I am finally back with Chapter 4 for Journey of Dreams. First off, I apologize for the very late update; life has been immensely chaotic this past year, to the point that nothing is really the same as it was the last time I updated. That being said, I did find some time to finally get this chapter done. It might be a little bit dry, but the good news is that Kanto is finished for now after this chapter.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can send me a Private Message (PM) on this site. I do still use the site to read other fanfics at times when I need inspiration for this story, so I will see the message and reply to it.

I am not sure how far I will go with this story in light of everything that has happened, but as before, updates will be on my profile page for the story and anything else that may be of interest.

Also, I will not be talking or referencing Aura much anymore in this story as I gave it some thought and determined that this story will be better without much reference to it. There may be the occasional reference though.

Lastly, I am aware that this chapter has several time skips, and no, I do not plan on making this a habit. I just needed to speed the story up a bit so we can get started on Johto. I will likely be reviewing this chapter and fixing any errors or other problems that I may see soon.

* * *

-10 months ago in CG's house-

*Salamence charges up a Draco Meteor*

CG: *pales* Guys, get out of the house now! Run for it!

*CG, Pikachu &amp; Espeon dash outside the main door. I (CG) turn around and see the shell of my house launching into the sky and exploding in every different direction after it gets 300 feet in the air. I just stand there staring at the sky for about 20 minutes. Espeon and Pikachu decide to walk up at this point.*

Espeon &amp; Pikachu: _Um, CG? Are you okay? CG?_

CG: ...SALAMENCE, get down here! This ends now!

*Espeon and Pikachu flinch while Salamence is intrigued and comes down to talk*

Salamence: _Care to explain why you haven't updated in almost a year!?_

CG: Well for your information I've had my life flipped upside down. Now sit while we discuss this.

* * *

-Present day, CG's new house-

Espeon &amp; Pikachu: _…CG…What did you do!? We thought Salamence hated you. _

CG: *chuckles* Ah my dear friends, you didn't think I was completely idle when I wasn't writing this entire time did you? I've gotten to know the dragon a bit more while you guys were off doing who knows what each day. Building a new house with said dragon was a good chance to get to know him as well.

Espeon: _…But CG how-_

CG: Later Espeon, it's time to start Chapter 4.

"Normal Human Speech"

"**Human/Pokemon Thoughts/Megaphone or Speaker"**

"_Pokemon Speech"_

"_**Echoed/Magnified Voice"**_

* * *

(Time Skip – 3 weeks - July 2000)

Ash knocked on Professor Oak's door and turned to look at the partly cloudy sky while he waited. Brock, Espeon, and Pikachu followed his gaze.

Ash decided to break the silence, "You know guys, I've always loved the sky for some reason. I can't tell you how many times I've dreamt of flying around up there, looking at the world while feeling the cool breeze on my face, especially on a day like today."

Everyone simply nodded in agreement. Brock decided to chime in with his own opinion, "It's too bad that we didn't get to catch any new partners on the way back after traveling to Fuchsia, but I have a feeling that we'll meet a lot of new Pokemon in Johto. Besides, we were in quite a hurry to get here on time anyway."

Everyone again nodded in agreement. A click was heard behind them and they all turned around to see Professor Oak standing at the door.

Professor Oak beamed and exclaimed, "Ash my boy, it's great to see you again! You've arrived early." The Professor then noticed Pikachu on Ash's shoulder and greeted it as well. He then turned his attention to Ash's friend, "Hello, who might you be?"

Brock smiled and explained, "My name is Brock and my dream is to become the best Pokemon Breeder. It's a pleasure to meet you professor." Brock finished with a handshake.

Professor Oak accepted the handshake, "The pleasure is all mine." The professor then noticed Espeon and greeted it as well, "Hello Espeon, it's good to see you again" and started to go back inside, but did a double-take. "Wait, an ESPEON!? Ash, you just got Eevee almost two months ago, how did it evolve already without a stone!?"

Ash chuckled sheepishly, "Well you see professor, it actually happened during a battle with your grandson in Lavender Town. Espeon gave it his all in that fight and we've become great friends."

Espeon rubbed against Ash's leg while purring in contentment, eliciting a smile from everyone present.

Oak shook his head in disbelief but amusement, "Only you could get Eevee to evolve by friendship in such a short time Ash. I'm very impressed! Please, come on in everyone."

Professor Oak started walking toward the lounge with the others in tow. Espeon nudged his trainer, "**Hey Ash, are we going to tell the Professor about my telepathy? Can I talk with him?"**

Ash thought about that for a moment and replied mentally, "**I wouldn't tell him just yet. I don't want to give away all of our surprises just yet and as it is still fairly new to you. It's possible you may not be able to talk with him just yet. Perhaps we'll tell him when we get back from Johto." **

Espeon thought about this and nodded as everyone took their seats. Professor Oak took a white envelope from a nearby desk and gave it to Ash.

The professor explained, "Ash, that envelope contains two tickets to New Bark Town in the Johto region. I had a feeling that you may make a friend on this journey of yours, so I took the liberty of ordering an extra one."

Ash and Brock smiled and were impressed that the professor planned so far ahead. That was Professor Oak for you, always making new discoveries and doing the unexpected. There were even quiet rumors that he was a powerful trainer and that he even had a Dragonite, though no one outside the league has apparently seen it.

Professor Oak continued, "The ferry will depart one week from today at 7am. Johto isn't too far away, so you should make it to New Bark Town by late afternoon. Do either of you have any questions?"

Brock and Ash both shook their heads and the Professor sighed, "Well, I guess that's a good thing. Anyway Ash, you may want to head home. Your father should be there waiting for yo-"

*Ash used Extremespeed.* _PIIIIKAAAACHUUUuuuuuu!_

Everyone just looks down the hall that Ash ran through with Pikachu hanging on to his shoulder for dear life with his voice fading, and blinked. Brock was the first to recover and laughed, "Well that's Ash, once he gets excited you just can't stop him; poor Pikachu." Professor Oak and Espeon just nodded in agreement.

* * *

(Time Skip – 10 minutes; Ash's house)

Ash screeched to a halt in front of his door and caught his breath while Pikachu fell to the ground and started kissing the ground, never before so grateful to be back on the stable earth, _"Pikaaa." _He was in disbelief that Ash was able to run that fast. His Quick Attack couldn't even keep up with that kind of speed, well at least not for long.

Ash took a few more deep breaths and opened the door. He looked around the living room followed by the kitchen to see if his father was in the house, "Hello? Dad?"

A figure walked around the corner into the kitchen and smiled, "It's great to see you again Ash."

Ash spun around and ran to give his dad a hug, "Dad, it's great to have you home again."

Ash's father chuckled, "It's great to be back. How have you been son?" Ash beamed at this question and enthusiastically replied, "I've been great! I've already caught some new Pokemon and made some new friends and my journey hasn't officially started yet!"

Riley smirked a bit and said, "Great, so what would you say to a 1-on-1 battle with your old man? We can catch up afterward."

Ash's jaw dropped, "B-b-but I can't battle you! I've only been a trainer for 2 months! You've been a trainer for years and my Pokemon don't stand a chance right now!"

Riley laughed, "No Ash, you won't be battling my starter or anything like that, you'll be battling a partner I met around a month and a half ago."

Ash sighed in relief, "Oh, well in that case, I accept. I've always wanted to have a battle with my old man" he finished with a smirk.

Riley reciprocated the smirk, "Excellent! Let's head out back."

* * *

(Time Skip – 3 minutes later; after prepping the battlefield)

Both trainers stood at their respective end of the battlefield. Riley called out, "As I said before, this will be a 1-on-1 battle with no substitutions."

Ash nodded in response, "Agreed. Although don't we need a judge?"

"…I will… judge… the battle."

Ash looked around and saw Brock and Espeon walking up to the edge of the battlefield. Espeon looked like he just had a nice walk but Brock looked like he just ran a marathon. Brock continued, "But…Ash…you owe me". Ash put a hand behind his head and smiled sheepishly, "Ok Brock, thanks for doing that and sorry for ditching you guys at Professor Oak's place."

"**Never mind that Ash. Just focus on the battle right now**" Espeon nudged his trainer. Ash smiled in response and thought about who he might use.

Riley looked over at Espeon greatly intrigued, "**Hmm, Ash may have accomplished more than I thought.**" He snapped out of his thoughts and called out, "Well Ash, since I challenged you first, I will select my Pokemon first. I choose Growlithe." The Pokemon materialized on the field growling and ready for a fight.

Ash focused on his opponent and thought, "This won't be very easy, just how I imagined it would be." Ash unclipped a Pokeball from his belt and tossed it up in the sky, "Charmander, let's win this!" Charmander materialized looking pumped and ready to battle and let out a growl as well.

Riley was surprised and a bit confused so he asked, "Hey Ash, did you get Charmander from Professor Oak? I thought I told him I gave you a starter."

Ash frowned and shook his head, "No, I found Charmander on a rock and later learned that he was abandoned by a trainer named Damian. Long story short, Charmander decided to come along with me."

Riley frowned and thought for a moment before telling Ash, "Ash, we are definitely going to need to catch up after this battle."

Ash was a bit unnerved by his father's expression but nodded in response.

Riley started smiling again, "I guess I'll start this off then. Growlithe, use Bite!" Growlithe started charging in at a fast pace.

Ash quickly countered, "Charmander, dodge and use Metal Claw!" Charmander dodged at the last second and struck Growlithe on the side with glowing claws. Growlithe slid back in mild pain, but shrugged it off. Charmander glowed red briefly before the red aura disappeared.

Riley grit his teeth a bit, "**Charmander's attack power must have gone up. This isn't good.**" "Growlithe, use Flame Wheel!" Growlithe started charging at Charmander again, but was coated in a ball of flame this time. Charmander was caught off guard and got hit head on. Charmander slid back wincing in pain.

Ash wasn't sure what he saw with Charmander earlier, but realized that he was distracted and Charmander paid the price. He abandoned his previous thoughts and called, "Charmander, if you can still fight, get up and use Smokescreen!"

Charmander got up and exhaled a cloud of black smoke that quickly covered the entire field. Growlithe looked around in confusion trying to find his opponent. "Growlithe calm down. Use Odor Sleuth!" Growlithe barked in confirmation and began locating his opponent.

Ash, realizing that he was running out of time, called out, "Charmander, we need to finish this up quickly! Use the new move you just learned recently: Dragon Rage!" Charmander began charging a blue aura of energy and shot it toward Growlithe who just located his opponent when the attack struck.

The result of the attack resulted in a mini explosion and when the smoke cleared, Growlithe was on the ground out cold.

Brock looked on Growlithe and declared, "Growlithe is unable to battle. The winner is Ash!"

Ash just looked on surprised before he processed Brock's words and became ecstatic, "Alright, I beat dad!" Ash then promptly started celebrating with Charmander.

Meanwhile, Riley was surprised that Ash's Charmander already knew Dragon Rage. Had he expected that attack, he would have reacted in time. He just shook his head in disbelief and smiled, "**Heh, always unpredictable, just like his old man."**

He recalled Growlithe and approached his son, "Not bad Ash, but remember you still have yet to beat some of my other Pokemon. While you can certainly celebrate victory, remember to make sure that you don't become arrogant or prideful as a result."

Ash turned to his father and nodded, "I know Dad, I'm just glad I've been making progress. Oh, you should meet some of my other friends! Come on out guys!" Ash tossed 3 Pokeballs in the air and Magnemite, Squirtle and Bagon materialized and Espeon, Pikachu and Charmander joined them.

"This isn't the entire team, but it is who I have with me at the moment" Ash explained.

Riley nodded and replied, "This is a good start Ash; I'm quite impressed."

Ash absentmindedly nodded while thinking for a moment before he remembered something, "By the way, where is mom?"

*ROOOOAAARRR*

Everyone turned toward the sky, but Bagon listened intently and his eyes grew wide. He knew that roar anywhere and looked to the sky with a longing. Ash picked up on this and wondered why until Riley said, "It looks like she is back from the store. Are you ready to meet my starter Ash?"

Ash froze at that. He had never seen his father's starter before as he was too young in the past, but seeing as his starter is Bagon and Bagon was looking at the sky intently, he could only assume it was Bagon's father, and also the Pokemon that Bagon would one day become. Ash smiled, "I've waited five years to meet your starter. I'm definitely ready!"

Ash turned back toward the sky and saw a shadow shoot out from behind a cloud and stop almost directly under the sun and slowly descend. Only one word came to Ash's mind as he was watching the Pokemon descend, "**Salamence**."

The Dragon Pokemon landed on the grass among everyone present and let Delia off with the grocery bags. Delia turned and said, "Thank you for your help today Salamence. You were a great help!" Salamence roared in response and looked at Ash.

Ash and Salamence looked each other in the eye and evaluated each other before Riley made some introductions, "Ash this is my starter Salamence. Salamence this is my son Ash." Salamence nodded and came over and nuzzled Ash. Salamence then looked over and saw his son and, overcome with joy, nuzzled his son. Bagon was ecstatic and gave his father a hug in return.

Ash and Riley smiled at the scene they were witnessing. Delia also looked at the scene and wanted to give them some time to catch up, so she got everyone's attention, "Hey, why don't we get dinner going and give these two some time to catch up? We need to catch up ourselves." Ash, Riley and Brock all nodded to this and went inside. The other Pokemon went to the front yard to hang out.

* * *

(Time Skip – 3 hours later; at the dinner table reviewing the last two months of activity)

Riley and Delia were shocked but for different reasons. Delia was shocked that Ash hadn't left for two months and already encountered trouble in the form of Team Rocket, but thankfully it sounded like they were incredibly weak grunts.

Ash's father on the other hand was shocked because of Ash's Aura. He knew that Ash may start using his Aura abilities soon, but he didn't think that his eyes would start glowing just yet. That was usually one of the last things that an Aura user could do and only after they have had a great deal of training. The only exception was if the user had an enormous amount of aura at their disposal within them. That is very rare and while it is useful for tasks that require a great deal of aura, it is also dangerous having that much energy in your body if you don't know how to use it properly. The results could be disastrous.

Riley's face became serious and Ash gulped thinking he was in trouble. Riley didn't want to scare Ash, but it was important that he understood this, "Ash, do you remember what you said about Nurse Joy claiming that your eyes glowed blue?"

Ash nodded and asked, "Yeah, dad do you know what that was?" Riley nodded and explained, "Yes Ash that was your Aura. Remember during our last conversation that I said that we needed to talk about something?"

Ash thought for a moment before replying, "Yeah, I'm guessing that was what you meant if something odd started happening?"

Riley sighed but continued, "Yes, though it seems that it may be a bit more important than I originally thought. I needed to tell you that you have some abilities that you have not developed yet; that you can use Aura, but it can be dangerous if not handled appropriately.

Riley shook his head, "However it seems that it is even more important that you know this since you seem to have an enormous amount of Aura. Even among Aura users, your eyes wouldn't normally glow blue, even at will, until you have had an extended amount of training unless you have an abnormally large amount of Aura."

Ash looked a bit confused, "Wait, I have this ability? Isn't having it a good thing if it gives you some new capabilities?"

Riley chuckled a bit, "You can use Aura because I can." Riley then caused a small blue sphere to appear in the palm of his hand and Ash, Delia, and Brock stared at it in awe.

Riley continued, "However, I'm sure you've heard the saying that too much of anything can be a bad thing. This is true of most things, including Aura. The more Aura you have, the more potential you have, but you also carry a great risk at the same time. Using Aura incorrectly can have severe consequences or even cost you your life. It is nothing to be concerned about though as long as you don't use it until you've had some training."

Ash started getting fired up, "Awesome, this is so cool! What kind of things will I be able to do? I should go start training!" Ash started getting up from the table-

"NO! You can't practice it recklessly!" Riley exclaimed causing Ash to trip and fall flat on his face.

Brock decided to interject asking the question that Ash needed the answer to, "Excuse me Mr. Ketchum, but will Ash learn to use his Aura if it is dangerous to use it incorrectly? How will he train if he wants to travel?"

Riley nodded, "Excellent question Brock. Unfortunately, he will not be able to train with his aura while he is traveling. He-"

Ash chose this moment to interrupt, "Aww, come on! I wanna learn how to use my Aura."

Riley gave his son a stern expression, "This is not a game Ash; it is very dangerous. Most people don't learn how to use their aura until their late teen years at the earliest. We can practice when you get older, but for now, all you need to know is that you need to keep your emotions under control."

Riley continued, "If you happen to discover anything while traveling though, be sure to inform me as soon as possible and we will discuss it further, ok?"

Ash was a little bummed, but soon got over it, "Alright Dad."

Riley mirrored Ash's smile, "No problem. Now, the other thing I wanted to tell you about was why I gave you Bagon as your starter…"

* * *

(Time Skip – 20 minutes later)

Ash just slumped back in his chair processing the information that was just revealed to him, "Wow…I didn't know that we had an affinity with Dragon types…that would explain why I get along with Bagon so well. Does this mean that I can't catch any other Pokemon types?"

Riley shook his head, "Of course not, you can catch other types and be friends with them as well, we just understand Dragon types more naturally than the other types."

Ash sighed in relief, "Whew, you had me concerned for a moment, but that's great! I definitely wanted to catch more Dragon types, but I would like to make a variety of friends as well."

"That won't be a problem, you saw me use Growlithe after all. You can catch other types as well" Riley finished with a smile.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

* * *

(Time Skip – 7 days later - August 2000; at the dock in Pallet Town)

The wind was blowing softly as the ocean waters splashed against the Pallet town docks. At one of these docks a ship, the _S.S. Anne,_ was finishing boarding passengers as a group of five individuals stood finishing their conversation.

"Ash, Brock, it was a pleasure getting to see you guys and your Pokemon. I'll expect an update on your progress in a month. Don't forget to check in with Professor Elm when you arrive in New Bark Town" Professor Oak reminded.

Ash and Brock agreed while Espeon simply purred next to Ash and Pikachu gave his signature cry from Ash's shoulder.

Delia came up next and gave Ash a hug, "Ash, be very careful. I'm going to miss you greatly, but I know I shouldn't stop you from your Journey. Have fun but be careful and don't forget to cha-"

Ash started blushing again, "Mom! I'm already 10 years old! I don't need any more reminders about that. I'll keep in touch."

Brock started laughing before managing to calm down a bit, "Ah, I remember my mom did something similar on my first journey. Don't worry Ms. Ketchum, I'll make sure he stays safe and does what he needs to. Thanks for hosting us at your place for the past week!"

Delia smiled, "No problem Brock. It was great to meet you."

Ash breathed a sigh of relief; glad that the conversation quickly switched topics this time around.

Riley took this as his cue, "I've actually got something to tell both of you." Riley looked toward his son first, "Ash, don't forget to train hard and build strong friendships with your current and future friends and have fun!"

Ash nodded with a smile, "Don't worry dad, I haven't forgotten."

Riley adopted a mischievous smirk, "Also Ash, if you happen to notice any girls you are interested in on your journey, make sure to give me a ca-"

*SMASH*

"Ow! Ok, ok maybe at a later time then!" Riley said holding his throbbing head while fearfully looking at the glare his wife was giving him.

*SMASH*

"OWW! GEEZ! Fine, I'll tell him about dating once he gets back from his journey after we talk."

Riley was holding his throbbing head with both hands while Delia just looked at Ash with an innocent look.

Ash was confused but shrugged it off while Professor Oak, Brock, Pikachu and Espeon just sweatdropped.

Riley then faced towards Brock and continued, "Brock, please look out for my son and please keep me in the loop if his aura spikes again."

Before Brock could respond, The PA system decided to interrupt the moment with an announcement,

"FINAL CALL FOR THE FERRY TO JOHTO ON THE _S.S. ANNE!_ REPEAT, FINAL CALL FOR THE FERRY TO JOHTO ON THE_ S.S. ANNE!"_

Brock turned back to the professor and Ash's parents, "Well, that's our cue. We gotta go, nice meeting you guys though! We'll see you again before you know it and don't worry, I'll look out for Ash." Brock then walked toward the ship.

Ash, after watching Brock head to the ship, turned to his parents and the Professor, "Well, I guess I'd better get going as well. I'll see you guys later!"

Ash took off running after Brock with Pikachu on his shoulder and Espeon at his side and flashed his ticket to get on board just before the gate closed behind him.

Ash decided to catch his breath for a moment as a thought came to mind that made him smile, "**Now my journey has officially started. Look out Johto, the future Pokemon Master is on his way."**

**Chapter 4 End**

* * *

A/N: I'm still amazed with the support you guys have been showing this story despite it being my first one, especially with the lack of updates recently. That is actually very encouraging and I thank you guys for that. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint.

Admittedly, I had been working on Chapter 4 for a while, but then I ended up losing it so I had to start from scratch. This chapter was a bit annoying to write as I was at a loss for ideas for a while, but I have better hopes for future chapters. The next chapter is the beginning of Johto.

Once again, reviews would be greatly appreciated as they can and do help me to keep the story on track, especially with it being my first story. If I didn't think that was the case, I'd be working on multiple chapters at a time and publish them in bulk, but I believe that doing it this way will help make the story as good as I can make it.

Espeon: _CG! What did you do to Salamence?_

CG: *innocent look* I don't know what you're talking about.

Espeon: *Eyes start glowing a light blue and CG is lifted 20 feet into the air*

CG: GAH! Alright, alright, he said he was tired, so I had my Milotic put him to sleep with Hypnosis. Why?

Espeon: *pales and drops me*

CG: AAAAHHH! *Crash*

Salamence: *Snaps awake and blinks for a few seconds*

Espeon: _*pales further* CG! You do not force a dragon to sleep when it doesn't want to outside the battlefield! That is immensely disrespectful!_

CG: *slowly gets up* Did you have to just drop me like that? But yeah, I learned that the hard way about a month and a half ago, but now I've got his permission to put him to sleep under certain…conditions.

Espeon_: …I'm not even going to ask. It's probably some crazy stunt that only you would do… and illogical._

CG: *smirks* See, you're getting to know me better already.

Until next time everyone.

-CyberGuardian7


	6. Trouble at the Start

**Journey of Dreams: Chapter 5 Start**

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is owned by the Pokemon Company. The only thing I own is this story.

A/N: As a reminder, there are a few things in this story that may not reflect the games or the anime completely, such as New Bark Town having a port, but the changes should help with the story and in my opinion, they just seem to make sense.

Also, I will periodically reference the month and year of the journey as it will be necessary for the story. I have updated the previous chapters to add the current month and year where it may be helpful to know.

CG: Hello everyone! I'm hoping to give Espeon, Pikachu and Salamence a surprise, so I'm writing this at night so I'll have it finished when I see them next.

*Somewhere off in the other room*

Salamence: *Yawn* _Huh!? Where did CG go? Guess I'll go find him. _

*Back in the room with CG as Salamence walks in*

CG:*Face smacks into the desk* Of course… I put Salamence to sleep earlier with Hypnosis. No wonder he's awake.

Salamence: _Hey CG, what's up? Working on the next chapter already?_

CG: Shhh, Pikachu and Espeon are sleeping and you know how they get cranky when they haven't had much sleep.

Salamence: _…Right, of course. Oh yeah, should we tell the readers how we became friends?_

CG: …Yeah I suppose we should. After all we were at each other's throats last time the readers saw our…interactions. How about we do that after the chap-

Salamence: _Yeah, yeah now let's get on with it! We got a story to tell here!_

CG: *sighs* Impatient as ever I see.

*Salamence charges up a dragon pulse*

*CG sweatdrops*

CG: …Err, right. Dragons are never impatient, just eager to respect the time of others. Anyway on with the story!

Salamence: _That's what I thought._

"Normal Human Speech"

"**Human/Pokemon Thoughts/Megaphone or Speaker"**

"_Pokemon Speech"_

"_**Echoed/Magnified Voice"**_

* * *

(Present Day – August 2000)

The S.S. Anne has just arrived in the Johto Region and is approaching the docks of New Bark Town. On one of the cliffs that overlooked the peaceful entrance into Johto, a lone figure obscured by the shadows watched the ferry pull into port.

"…**hmm. I sense something on that ship, someone… different; but who could it be?**" The figure pondered for a moment while staring at the ship before realizing something important.

"…**I've stayed too long. I must return before it is too late.**" The figure turned around and started leaving before taking one last look at the ship with a critical gaze.

"**I don't know who you are, but I will find you again and when I do…**" The figure trailed off.

* * *

Meanwhile…

Ash, Brock, Espeon and Pikachu disembarked off of the S.S. Anne, looked towards the ocean they just crossed, and took a deep breath. The ocean mist and cool breeze was just absolutely refreshing! They were finally in the Johto region.

Ash smiled and exclaimed, "Finally, we're here! I can't wait to get started. The Johto League will never knew what hit it!"

Brock shook his head, "Ash, don't get carried away now. I know you're excited, but overconfidence is the quickest way to lose…"

Ash nodded in understanding. He supposed Brock was right and he wasn't prepared to lose, so he simmered down a bit.

Espeon chimed in with a smirk, "**Despite the need to not be overconfident, we will still win this thing!**"

Pikachu just pumped his fist in the air, also with a smirk, "_Pika, pikachu Pi!_"_ ("Yeah, no one will stop us!_"_)_

Ash got excited again, "Yeah, this will be awesome!"

Brock just shook his head in amusement, supposing that while Ash may not be overconfident anymore, his enthusiasm will never seem to die down and it seems his Pokemon are taking after him.

The group started walking off the docks when Ash turned to Brock, "Where is the Pokemon lab?"

Brock got out the map of the Johto region that he purchased on the S.S. Anne and took a look at it.

After looking for a couple of moments, Brock responded, "Well, now that we are off of the docks, it looks like we just head down this road on our right and make a left at the end of the street. At that point it should be the third building on the right."

Ash, Pikachu, and Espeon nodded and started heading down the street. Just as they were about to make a turn at the corner, a group of familiar figures dashed by them with some Pokemon in hand, running like their life depended on it.

Ash quickly recognized the group as the same members of Team Rocket from the Pokemon Center in Viridian City and quickly grew irritated.

His eyes flashed blue and he called out to them "**HALT!**"

The three members of Team Rocket froze in their tracks all thinking the same thing, "**No, Not him! Not all the way out here!"**

They slowly turned around and looked at the boy slowly approaching them.

Ash was about to ask them what they were doing here when he spotted the three Johto starters in their arms looking a bit scared.

Ash quickly put two and two together and addressed the Rockets. "**You three still haven't learned your lesson, taking Pokemon from the laboratory. Guess I'll have to make sure that it sticks this time. Espeon confusion.**"

Espeon jumped forward and its eyes started to glow blue, and the Rockets were surrounded by a blue outline and they realized they couldn't move anything except their heads.

Jessie, James and Meowth looked at each other with a bit of fear and recalled what happened last time.

* * *

**Flashback (1 month ago, just south of Pallet town)**

Some of the wild Pokemon were grazing about in these fields, enjoying each other's company and the peace when all of a sudden a star appeared in the sky accompanied by some noise.

"Loooooookk oooOOUUUTTTT!" *CRASH*

The crash whipped up a huge dust cloud and the noise startled all the nearby Pokemon badly, causing the busy field to become as deserted as a ghost town. When the dust settled, three lone figures were revealed, groaning in pain.

Jessie twitched a couple of times saying, "T-T-That k-kid. He isn't n-normal"

Meowth painfully added his two cents, "_Y-Yeah. Ouch. What is w-wit his eyes and d-dat power_?"

James groaned, "Ugh, the pain. I-It must have been something." All of a sudden they started hearing an ominous ringtone.

James gasped and pulled out his communication cube and all three of them righted themselves as if nothing happened, "It's the Boss! What do we do? We haven't caught anything!"

Jessie sweatdropped, "Let's just…answer and wing it. We have to be brave and act as if we are making progress.

The team nodded, and James answered the call. A figure's face showed up on a hologram from the cube.

The figure glared at his subordinates, "…You three! Why haven't you reported in? I expect you to have good news for not reporting to me on time."

The three Rockets flinched briefly before Jessie decided to report, "Well you see sir, we were about to swipe all of the Pokemon from the Viridian Pokemon Center…"

Meowth decided to take over, "_Yeah, but dis kid was here and his eyes started glowin and freakin us out. Da kid's voice started boomin and da next ting we know we're getting kicked out of da center_."

James and Jessie panicked, thinking Meowth just doomed them all as the figure's eyebrow twitched in anger, but restrained himself.

The figured slowly responded, "You mean to tell me that you simpletons were defeated by a kid?"

James, sweating profusely, quickly tried to salvage the situation, "Well Giovanni sir, the kid was abnormally strong considering that he just started his journey not too long ago. He is also very smart as he used electricity to ignite a poisonous gas that created an explosion blowing us away."

The Rocket Boss raised his eyebrow in surprise at that, "**This kid… based on what these three said, it sounds like he could potentially have some kind of ability, but even if he doesn't he does not seem to be someone to trifle with if what they said is true.**"

Giovanni thought for a moment, "**I don't have any spare agents to send to monitor him at the moment and these three can't defeat him. I suppose he isn't a threat yet, but if he interferes, we may have to take some…measures."**

Giovanni finally responded to his agents, "You three need to train your Pokemon more and perhaps catch some new allies that will be useful for our plan. Return to headquarters immediately, I will expect success on your part from here on out." He did not want any useless agents on his team.

The three saluted in unison, "Sir. What of the kid?"

The Rocket Boss shrugged, "He is of no concern to us at the moment. If he interferes with our plans again, then we will address the issue at the time. Now I will expect you at the base at the crack of dawn tomorrow."

The hologram then faded away, leaving the three Rocket agents to let out a huge sigh of relief while wonder what would happen next.

James voiced all of their concerns, "I have a bad feeling about this."

**End Flashback**

* * *

The three Rockets remembered returning to base and Jessie and James each caught a new member for their team on the way. They trained at their base a bit and were then sent to the Johto region to capture Pokemon that could not be found in Kanto, but that didn't seem relevant now.

Ash decided to take action, "Espeon, have Team Rocket release the starters with your confusion and bring them here."

Espeon's eyes glowed brighter and the Rockets released the Pokemon and the starters hovered over to Ash where they were placed on the ground next to him.

The starters looked around in fear until Espeon reassured them with a smile, causing them to relax.

The Rockets were freed at this point and angrily retorted, "Hey! We stole those fair and square!"

Jessie threw her Pokeball, "Ekans, go get them!"

James then sent his Pokemon out, "Koffing, I choose you!"

Brock decided to interject, "Ash, I'm going to let you handle this battle. I'm going to watch the starters with Espeon."

Ash absently nodded and quickly assessed the situation. Espeon was the logical choice as he had a type advantage, and he was arguably the strongest on Ash's team at the moment, given that he was one of the only evolved Pokemon on his team.

"**Hey Ash"** Espeon called out.

Ash snapped out of his musings while Espeon continued, "**Why don't you give Squirtle and Magnemite a chance to battle? Magnemite is immune to poison and can be a good backup for Squirtle while he also gets experience.**"

Ash nodded at his friend's logic, "**Thanks Espeon, I think I will do just that.**"

Turning his attention back to the battle, Ash called out, "Squirtle, Magnemite, prepare for battle!"

Ash's Pokemon materialized and made their respective calls to acknowledge their readiness.

Team Rocket was through waiting as Jessie called, "Ekans, use poison sting on Squirtle!"

James followed suit, "Koffing, use Sludge on Squirtle."

Ekans and Koffing both fired their respective attacks at Squirtle.

Ash smirked, "Team Rocket, never take your eyes off any of your opponents. Squirtle, deflect the attacks with Rapid Spin. Magnemite, use Thundershock on Koffing."

Squirtle started spinning rapidly causing the poison attacks to deflect to the side for the most part while Magnemite shocked Koffing causing it to collapse to the ground.

Squirtle got out of his shell mostly unharmed, but ash noticed a purple hue on Squirtle's face. Ash groaned at this, "**Just my luck, Squirtle's poisoned.**"

Meanwhile James tended to Koffing, "Koffing, you've got to get up!"

"_Kof..Koff..Koffing" _Koffing called out as it slowly started to levitate off of the ground.

James sighed in relief, "Ok, now use Smog on Squirtle"

Jessie decided to mix things up a bit, "Ekans, use Dig. Attack the floating piece of scrap metal!"

Koffing started exhaling poisonous fumes while Ekans snuck underground.

Ash quickly started to see what would happen next and began strategizing faster than ever. He quickly came up with a way out of this predicament, "Squirtle, make the smog dissipate with another Rapid Spin. Magnemite, hover over Squirtle quickly!"

Both Pokemon quickly set to their respective tasks. The Smog attack started to dissipate while the ground started shaking violently. Ekans struck Squirtle from below, causing Squirtle and Magnemite to go flying.

Squirtle hit the ground and slowly stopped spinning and struggled to get up while Magnemite looked alright.

Ash sighed in relief, "**Magnemite didn't take much damage because Ekans only hit Squirtle's shell, not Magnemite directly, so it wasn't a ground attack to Magnemite. Squirtle on the other hand…**"

He glanced over at his turtle Pokemon, who was panting rather heavily.

Ash mentally berated himself, "**While Rapid Spin reduced the damage received by Dig, why didn't I remember Squirtle has been taking damage from the poison as well? I have to end this quickly.**"

Ash shook himself from his thoughts, "Magnemite, use Magnet Bomb on Ekans! Squirtle, hit Koffing with a Water gun!"

Magnemite started creating spheres of metal out of nowhere and proceeded to bombard Ekans with them while Squirtle launched a stream of water towards the floating ball of poisonous gas.

James, seeing that this wouldn't end well, immediately reacted, "Koffing, try to drive it back with Sludge."

Koffing started to counter as the attacks hit simultaneously resulting in a small explosion that caused everyone to shield themselves from the blast. While the smoke was starting to clear, two orbs of light appeared for a few moments, before disappearing.

When the smoke cleared, everyone present was completely shocked at what was now on the field. Ekans and Squirtle were unable to battle while there were two other Pokemon present on the battlefield.

Ash and Jessie, shocked, wordlessly took out their Pokeballs and returned their fallen Pokemon while staring at the remaining battlers.

James was the first to snap out of his shock with an excited grin slowly appearing on his face, "K-Koffing? You evolved into Weezing?"

Indeed, the floating Pokemon grew in size and now had two faces. The Pokemon in question nodded while glaring at its opponent. James followed his Pokemon's gaze and started paling at what he saw.

Meanwhile, Ash was also stunned, and quickly grew excited as well, "Alright Magnemite, you've evolved into Magneton! Well done!"

Ash then glanced at his opponent and started smirking, "**Evolved or not, Weezing can't touch Magneton, unless it knows a fire attack, which is unlikely.**"

Ash then looked back at his Pokemon, who was staring at him awaiting orders. "Magneton, use Lock-on!"

"_Mag_, _Magneton" _Magneton's eyes then started glowing red and emitted a red pulse which settled on Weezing's head.

Meowth was growing irritated with the lack of action, "_What in da world are ya doin James? Don't just stand dere, attack already!_"

James, realizing that he was still in a battle, nodded in response and called out, "Weezing, hit that Magneton with Gyro Ball!"

Weezing started spinning rapidly and took off towards Magneton.

Ash was surprised at this, but shrugged and ordered, "Take it." Ash's Pokemon nodded in response while James smiled, thinking that after its previous hits, he might get lucky and take it out.

James was shocked when his Pokemon made contact with Magneton, and bounced right off and floated back on his side of the field.

"W-what, what happened? Why didn't that do a thing!?" James cried out.

Ash closed his eyes and shook his head, "While it is impressive that your Weezing already knows Gyro Ball, a steel type move will do virtually nothing against Magneton. Magneton has a 4x resistance to Steel Type attacks. You would have been better off using Tackle."

Ash opened his eyes, and calmly ordered, "Magneton, use…" Ash's Pokedex decided to interrupt and Ash pulled it out to see one notification listed on it.

Ash smiled as he realized what happened. "**Alright, Magneton may have forgotten Magnet Bomb, but this is better!" **

He smirked and ordered, "Use Mirror Shot!"

Magneton charged up its move and launched a few small beams metallic light towards its target."

James panicked, "Weezing, dodge it!"

Weezing floated out of the way, causing the beams of light to launch past only to arc around and strike home, causing yet another explosion.

When the smoke cleared, Weezing was on the ground out cold.

Wordlessly, James grunted and called back his fallen Pokemon. He turned towards Ash with a glare, "How did that attack arc around and strike Weezing after missing?"

Ash lazily responded, "Lock-on. Look it up."

To Ash's surprise, James only nodded, and suddenly the wings of jetpacks appeared behind the Rockets. He mentally berated himself for thinking they were just bags and not jetpacks.

Jessie called out, "You got lucky this time kid, but this isn't the last time that you will see us. For your own sake, I suggest you don't meddle with our affairs in the future. It won't be this easy next time."

Meowth decided to add his two cents, "_Yeah, da boss is-mmph!_"

James smacked a piece of duct tape over Meowth's big meowth, "Can it! Do you really want to get us all in trouble by revealing top secret info to the enemy?"

Meowth calmed down and decided to take off at this point with the other two rockets following suit.

Ash just watched them leave, then returned Magneton. He turned towards Brock with a hint of frustration, but maintained his cool, "Brock, why didn't you help fight the Rockets?"

Brock just took a sip of the coffee he had in his hand in response.

Ash did a double-take, "**Wait, where and when did he get a hot cup of coffee?"**

Brock swallowed his drink and finally responded, "Eh, you looked like you had it covered and I got to learn a bit more about your battling style, and I said before I was going to help Espeon with the starters."

Ash groaned in annoyance, "Next time those crooks show up, you're battling them while I get a drink."

Brock nodded in response, "Call out Squirtle, he needs a revive and an antidote."

Ash just reached towards his belt and called the turtle out. He knelt down applied the medicine he had in his backpack on the water type.

After he finished applying the medicine and put the containers back in his backpack, he glanced over and waited for his friend to wake up.

He didn't need to wait long however, as the turtle slowly opened his eyes and smiled as he slowly got his energy back.

"Hey buddy, how are you doing? You feeling better?" Ash asked while he rubbed his Pokemon's head.

Squirtle nodded happily, "_Squirt, Squirtle Squirt!_"

Ash sighed in relief, "Good to hear buddy, now take a nice long rest."

With that, the Pokemon nodded as a red beam enveloped him and returned him to his Pokeball.

Ash stood up and turned to Brock, "Let's go, the professor is probably wondering where his Pokemon are."

Brock nodded in agreement and followed Ash, along with the starters and the rest of the gang to the lab.

Time Skip – 3 minutes; in the Professor's lab

Ash glanced around in amazement, if there was an organizational system in this lab, he didn't see it. There were papers absolutely everywhere, a bookcase was knocked over, and used bowls and plates were left on the coffee tables.

"**No wonder the starters were kidnapped. How could anyone pay attention to anything in a place like this?" **Ash thought in bewilderment.

Pikachu, Brock, and Espeon silently nodded in agreement.

Espeon picks up Ash's current thoughts via telepathy and shares those thoughts with Ash's other Pokemon and Brock if they are not personal and if they are not in a battle.

Suddenly the starters got excited and started heading towards the back of the lab. A man in a white coat came in from the back with his hand on his head, trying to soothe his massive headache.

The man sighed, "Man, where could they have gone off to? Huh?"

The man turned his head towards the noise of something on the ground and saw his three starters coming to him with a large smile on their faces.

The man perked up, "Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile! Where have you guys been? Thank goodness you are all ok!" He knelt down and gave his friends a hug.

After a minute, the man looked up and saw two individuals waiting on him, "Oh excuse me. My name is Professor Elm, I work here researching Pokemon Evolution. I didn't keep you waiting long did I?"

Ash and Brock shook their heads no.

Elm sighed in relief, "Whew, I was worried for a second. You see, these guys went missing not too long ago, and I had to go out to find them. I was about to lose hope that I would find them. Did you guys find them?"

Ash slowly started, "Well, we did, but they were not missing. They were taken by a criminal organization known as Team Rocket."

The professor paled at this, "What!? Well thank you very much for rescuing them! You must be quite the trainer if you were able to run them out."

Ash shrugged, "I don't know about that, but I've run into them before. They were weak, but they seemed a bit stronger this time."

Ash put his hand on his chin thinking about this. Seeing that Ash wasn't about to say anything Brock decided to say something, "My name is Brock, and this is Ash. Ash here, was wondering if he could register for the Johto League."

Professor Elm nodded, "Of course, I just need Ash's Pokedex for a moment."

Ash just stood there until he felt a smack on his head. He turned towards the source of the pain until his eyes met that of Pikachu's.

Pikachu gestured towards the professor, "_Pika, Pikachu." _

Ash nodded, silently thanking Pikachu for bringing him back to reality. He dug into his pocket until he found his Pokedex and handed it to the professor.

The professor nodded, "Professor Oak mentioned there would be a trainer from Pallet town with the National Pokedex. I guess that would be you. Very well, just one moment."

Professor Elm walked over to his computer and opened a slot that was made for Pokedexes of various sizes and inserted it. A few moments later and the registration was completed.

The professor pulled the Pokedex and gave it back to Ash, "There you go Ash; you should be good to go. Just remember to call me once a week per Professor Oak's instructions, ok? Oh! I forgot to reward you for finding the starters. Please feel free to pick one of them to join you on your journey!"

The starters looked to Ash with huge smiles on their faces hoping that they would be picked.

Ash saw this and turned back to the professor and shook his head, "Professor Elm, I would love one of them to join me, but I already have a starter and you never know when you may get a new trainer looking for a starter."

Ash walked over to the starters while Professor Elm nodded with a smile, "**Well Ash, you've already exceeded my expectations. Professor Oak was right about you. Maybe…**" The professor mused while Ash knelt down to the disappointed starters.

Ash gave a soft smile, "Hey guys, please don't feel down. I didn't decide to not have you guys with me because there was anything wrong with you, I just believe that there is something better for you guys out there."

The starters looked up at Ash with confused expressions and Ash chuckled, "The bond between the starter and their new trainer should be special, and I believe that you guys would miss out on that bond if you went with me since I already have a starter. We can still be friends though."

Ash held out his hand while the starters just stared at him surprised. Ash started sweatdropping, "**Did I say something offensive?**"

Espeon heard this and was about to respond when the starters started hopping up and down excitedly and giving Ash a hug.

Ash started laughing while the group watched on all thinking the same thing, "All's well that ends well."

Elm decided to interject a thought. "Well Ash, it seems that you get along with many Pokemon just fine. If you are looking for the nearest gym to test your skills, I suggest checking out Violet City and looking for the Gym Leader Falkner."

The professor continued, "Hey it's starting to get late. Why don't you guys join me for dinner?"

Ash and Brock just sweatdropped and looked around, as if the problem was obvious.

The professor sheepishly smiled while putting a hand behind his head, "Heh, not here of course, I have some cleaning to do. I'm thinking of a decent pizza restaurant in town."

Ash, Brock, Espeon and Pikachu nodded in agreement, each with large smiles on their faces.

(Time Skip – 2 hours; Outside the lab)

The sun was just about down for the day, so Ash and Brock turned faced the professor and thanked him for his time and help in registering for the Pokemon League and walked off onto the next route, hoping to find a place to camp for the night.

"Hey Brock, it's getting late, what do you say we set up camp for the night?"

Brock agreed to this as he set his pack down and started to set up his tent, "Sounds like a plan. What would you like to do when we get up in the morning?"

Ash thought for a moment as Espeon set up his tent with Confusion.

Brock's eyebrow just twitched, "**Lucky kid, having a psychic type around."**

Espeon heard this and just laughed.

Ash, unsure why his friend was laughing and ignorant to his friend's thoughts replied, "We need to train for a little bit, but we'll do that after breakfast. I'm going to work with Bagon tomorrow and come up with a schedule for the others as well. I think Bagon is close to evolving, he's seemed pretty determined lately."

Brock folded his arms impressed. He thought this was a good idea, "Good, you don't want to go to the gym unprepared. I'll focus on making breakfast and lunch tomorrow to give you extra time to train."

Ash smiled, "Thanks Brock. You are a great friend. I'll see you tomorrow." He then went into his tent with his Pokemon and closed it up for the night.

Brock started walking towards his tent inwardly cheering when Ash spoke up, "Oh, and Brock? You are still battling the Rockets yourself if they show up again unless you lose."

Ash, Pikachu, and Espeon just snickered at Brock's expense when they heard what he said next.

Brock just flinched, then shouted to the sky in frustration, "AAAARRGH! I was THIS close to getting away with that!"

**Chapter 5 End**

A/N: Hmm, a bit of foreshadowing? These transition chapters (in and out of regions) always seem to be somewhat difficult to me, but I'm finally starting to get this story moving. I already have some great ideas that I just cannot wait to implement into this story when the time comes. Also, as you may have noticed, Team Rocket doesn't seem to be overly smart, but they will not be nearly as incompetent as in the show.

Oh, just so you guys know, Ash will not be completely overpowered, at least not this early in the journey. He will slowly be gaining power for his prospective place in the journey as time goes, but I also have a plan for this. He will have some strong Pokemon though as they will be needed in this journey, and that is why there have been a few evolutions so far.

CG: …And there is Chapter 5.

Salamence: _CG, why was I not in this chapter? Didn't we discuss this?_

CG: *sighs* Yes Salamence, we did. I didn't include you yet because you are Ash's secret weapon. A secret weapon is never revealed to the enemy *cough, team rocket, cough* until the moment where an unexpected surprise is needed.

Salamence: …Fine, just start including me again or else…now tell them how we patched things up.

CG: Ah, very well my friend *turns to face the readers* you see guys, it went like this:

*Flashback – 1 year ago*

CG: Salamence, land now!

*Salamence landed, curious to see what CG was going on about*

CG: I have had it with you. You will start listening to me as of right now. I've been giving you food, rest, shelter, and in return you've been wrecking everything!

*takes a deep breath*

CG (in a calmer tone): Forget it, I need a fresh start anyway, but you WILL help me build a new house. Now go cut down some of the nearby trees and haul them over here.

*Salamence looks at CG stunned from what he was hearing and didn't budge*

CG: Did I stutter? Get them now!

Salamence: _I've never seen this side of you before CG. I thought you were just some pushover this entire time, but now I see there is more to you than meets the eye. I'll get the wood, but I'm interested to see what else you've been hiding._

*Salamence takes off into the sky headed to the forest*

End Flashback

CG: …From there, we just started talking and working out our differences as we built the house. I've now got a log cabin. This is pure awesomeness!

Salamence: _Yeah, but you are forgetting how long it took to build though. _

CG: *deadpans* You're the one who decided to light it up in flames when we were almost done.

Salamence (exasperated): _You accidentally sneeze and breathe fire ONE TIME and you never hear the end of it. _

CG *smirks*: You know it. **Who knew dragons respected those who show assertiveness rather than attack anyone who shows some backbone?** Anyway, until next time everyone! Remember, your reviews and messages will help to make this story everything it has the potential to be! I'll be looking this chapter over for any corrections that may need to be made.

-CyberGuardian7

EDIT 12/31/16 - A poll for a possible future capture for Ash has gone live for this story! Check it out and feel free to vote at the very top of my Profile! This poll will close shortly after the next chapter goes up soon.


	7. Evolution of the Dream

**Journey of Dreams: Chapter 6 Start**

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is owned by the Pokemon Company. The only thing I own is this story.

A/N: Wow! Despite the delays in updating, you guys have been showing so much support for this story! I mean, the story currently has 250 favorites and follows and over 20,000 views! That is absolutely incredible! I honestly did not think this story would generate as much interest as it has. The only thing I feel that I can say, but not convey enough is thank you!

Hey Guys, CG here and I bring you, after ANOTHER long wait chapter 6 of Journey of Dreams! You all are probably wondering why it has been yet another half year since I updated. Well…the truth is that I briefly lost my interest in writing because I had too much to deal with for a while. After that my computer got ruined, then I lost my first version of Chapter 6 along with my story map, so I had to rewrite it.

Hopefully there won't be anything stalling the progress of this story anymore; as I said previously, all updates will show up on my profile page. Now I will answer a few reviews I have received:

Ash did not go to the Safari Zone in Kanto as he will still be catching a lot of Pokemon and I feel he doesn't need to have too many Pokemon by the end of his Johto journey as there are still other regions for him to acquire Pokemon and I'd like him to use what he captures.

As for what Ash will capture in the future, (Deino was specifically asked about) that is still to be determined. It makes more sense for Ash to come across something like a Skarmory than a Deino in the Johto region, but I plan to throw a few surprises in the story. With that said, there is a poll that will be active for another week or so regarding possible captures, so check out my profile if you'd like to cast a vote.

As far as the story having darker elements…I would like this story to be as accessible to as many people that would like to read it as possible, so it will not contain extremely dark elements that you may find in other stories, but it will be quite different than you guys may expect, so my hope is that it will still be an excellent read.

About Ash's dad, Riley is a character that appeared briefly in the show, and I believed he would make a good 'father' figure for Ash based on what we know about him. His 'abilities' also made it a bit easier to help Ash develop his potential. More may be revealed as the story continues, but to be clear, the names in this story will not be based off actual people.

CG: *Sits down at the writing desk and sighs* It's not the same, but at least I will have a surprise for next time I suppose. *looks up to the "ON AIR" sign and notices it is lit red.*

CG: Oh! I guess I forgot to flip the switch last time. Hey guys, It's been some time again hasn't it; maybe I should bring you up to speed. Long story short, Ash came back with his wife and picked up his Pokemon, saying that next time he needs to go somewhere, I'd be the first to know so I could watch them.

?: _Tell them about us! We want to meet them!_

CG: *chuckles at the enthusiasm* Calm down guys, I was just getting to that. *returns attention to the readers* So anyway guys, after getting along with Ash's Pokemon, I decided that I would get a few of my own. Please meet Eevee and Trapinch!

Eevee &amp; Trapinch: _Hi guys, nice to meet you!_

Eevee: _Hey CG, are you gonna tell them what my evolution will be? I don't even know yet! _

CG: Not yet Eevee, we can't spoil the surprise now can we? As much as I like having an Espeon around, I think I have a better evolution for you in mind that you may like. That's why you wanted me to pick right?

Eevee: *ears dropping a little* _Yeah, It's just so hard to wait! Why do I need to wait?_

CG: Trust me Eevee, it will be worth it.

Trapinch: _Hey CG, can I get some grub? I'm getting pretty hungry._

CG: Sure Trapinch, the food is in the lower part of the fridge. I think the handle is low enough for you to pull open with your jaws.

*Trapinch walks off to the kitchen*

Eevee: _Can we play tag CG?_

CG: In a bit Eevee, we gotta get this story rolling first. Now everyone, please enjoy chapt-

*Eevee tackles CG knocking him and the chair to the ground*

Eevee: _You're it!_

"Normal Human Speech"

"**Human/Pokemon Thoughts/Megaphone or Speaker"**

"_Pokemon Speech"_

"_**Echoed/Magnified Voice"**_

* * *

(August 2000)

The sound of a tent being unzipped could be heard disturbing the otherwise silent, but foggy and cool morning in the forest. Ash stepped out and stretched along with Pikachu and Espeon.

He began to survey his surroundings with his Pokemon, trying to determine a good place to begin training.

Meanwhile Brock slipped out of his tent and called over, "Hey Ash, are you really thinking of training this early? Why don't we get breakfast first and give the food time to settle we will have energy for training?

Ash nodded without looking back, "…Yeah, I suppose." He walked over to the portable table Brock was setting up and set up chair for each of them.

Brock decided to start making breakfast for the two of them, while Ash was getting the food ready for the Pokemon.

Espeon, sensing something was bothering his trainer, walked over and rubbed against Ash's leg and started purring, "**Ash, is there something wrong?**"

Ash looked down to his unofficial starter and smiled, "No Espeon, I was just thinking about how we will do our training today is all."

Espeon didn't look convinced that was all there was to it, but decided to drop it for now, "**If you say so, but I'm here if you ever want to talk."**

Ash's smile grew larger as he started to stroke his psychic cat, "I know buddy. Thanks!"

_Pika, Pikachu!_

Ash looked over to see Pikachu pointing at the Pokeballs on Ash's belt, "Oh right, come on out everyone!"

Several flashes of light appeared as the Pokemon were released.

Ash finished getting the food ready and lowered the bowls, "Ok everyone, it's time for breakfast. After that we will start training."

Ash's Pokemon started cheering then chowing down. Ash chuckled and headed back to the table, where Brock just finished making breakfast and he sat down, "Thanks for making breakfast Brock!"

Brock grinned in response, "No problem Ash, thank you for feeding the Pokemon, including my own."

Ash was busy eating, so he opted for the universal thumbs up which caused Brock to laugh and then start eating himself.

After breakfast was over and everything was packed up, Brock turned to Ash, "So what is the plan for today? I imagine you would like to train for a while, but what is the plan after that?"

Ash thought about this for a moment, "Well, I would like to get to Violet City today, but if we come across any trainers or interesting wild Pokemon, we may stop for that en route."

Brock nodded at this, "Good, sounds like you have a plan. Mind if join you in training? My Pokemon could use some as well. "

Ash shrugged, "Sure, the more the merrier. It may be a good idea anyway in case Team Rocket gets stronger. We need to be at the top of our game."

Brock frowned remembering the trouble they caused the day before, but said nothing and nodded in agreement.

Ash walked over to his team and inspected each one to make sure everyone was ready. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary which Ash was pleased with, "Good, you all look ready for training."

He pulled out a small notebook and continued, "I wrote down a training regimen in this notebook, and if we follow it we should be more than prepared for the challenges coming up. I am warning you guys now, this will not be easy, but the rewards you will reap from it will be enormous. Now line up."

Ash's Pokemon cheered excited to see how strong they will be and waited to be told what their first task will be.

Ash started with Squirtle as this would be the hardest to explain, "Squirtle, we are going to teach you Protect. To learn this move, you need to focus your energy in front of and around you. You are basically willing a field to appear around you to shield you from attacks. Magneton will be assisting you by attacking with a steel type move."

Squirtle nodded at Ash while Magneton snapped out of its thoughts and started listening to Ash, knowing it was up next.

Ash smiled at Magneton, "Magneton, you have been working hard, so I need you to continue practicing Mirror Shot. You already know how to do it, but since it is a new attack, I want to be sure you are comfortable doing it on a moment's notice."

Magneton nodded and Ash smirked while raising his voice a bit for Squirtle to hear, knowing Squirtle might try to be funny while training, "Also, if Squirtle starts dodging or goofing off instead of trying protect, why don't you give your Lock-On a try. Scare him into Protect."

Magneton made a robotic sound that sounded like laughing and turned to Squirtle and got to work.

Ash watched for a moment to ensure it would go smoothly and continued on and stopped in front of Espeon and Pikachu, "Pikachu, you will be perfecting Iron Tail today, as that is an important attack for electric types. You have built some tail muscle, so focus on slamming your tail into things after you have built the required energy and keep practicing."

Pikachu gave a determined nod and cry, "_Pikachu, Pika!" _and left to find the nearest boulder he could find.

Ash nodded and glanced at Espeon, "Espeon, you will be learning Shadow Ball today. Unlike Psychic energy, Ghost energy is not generated by your mind, so you will have to focus on collecting the invisible energy from your surroundings and focusing it into a single point. That is how you will learn Shadow Ball."

Ash snapped his fingers as he remembered, "Oh yeah, if you learn that and get it down soon enough, I want you to find three objects that that weigh as much as the table we were eating at or heavier and try levitating them with Confusion and holding them as long as you can."

Espeon shuddered, but gave a silent nod and responded telepathically, "**Of course Ash, but that last exercise is a bit unusual. What will that accomplish other than giving me a headache?**"

Ash grinned as he was expecting that question, "I'm glad you asked. This exercise will strengthen and focus your mind. The brain is like our other muscles in that the more you work it out, the stronger it will get. The more focus and strength you have in your mind, the more damage your psychic attacks will inflict. You may get a headache the first several times you do this, but that will eventually stop until you lift heavier objects as your mind strengthens."

Espeon nodded and smiled, "**I see, well I'm looking forward to seeing how this will pay off then. I will get started right away." **

As Espeon walked away, Ash went over to Charmander, "Charmander, I think it is time for you to learn Fire Fang. You saw how dad's Growlithe did the attack, but to recap, focus your fire in your mouth, but don't let it escape, rather, direct it around the fangs in your mouth."

Charmander nodded and went over to a stream to practice in case he messed up.

Finally Bagon walked up to Ash and Ash leaned down to talk to his starter, "Bagon, I sensed a slight energy surge within you after our last training period. It seems to be getting stronger now. You are close to evolving aren't you?"

Bagon's eyes grew wide as he was shocked at how observant Ash was. He didn't think humans would be able to sense that and decided to voice his confusion, "_Bagon? ba, bagon, gon, ba_?" _(What? How did you know that?)_

Ash chuckled and explained, "It must be my affinity with Dragon types, especially my best friend. I sensed an energy surge in Magneton and Espeon, seconds before they evolved, but dragons have a much higher energy capacity. That, coupled with my affinity with dragons, allowed me to sense it much earlier and much easier."

Bagon silently nodded his head in understanding and smiled in excitement.

Bagon's smile must have been contagious, because Ash couldn't wipe the smile off of his face, "Since you are close to evolving, I will have you work on your speed by running as you will lose speed when you become a Shelgon. This will make the transition a bit easier for you when the time comes."

He then walked over to his backpack and pulled out two leg weights and attached them to Bagon. "This will add a bit of weight so your leg muscles will get a better workout. It will be hard, but surely it is nothing for the dragon aiming to be the strongest of its evolutionary line right?"

Bagon roared in excitement, "_BAAAAAAGGOOOOON!_" and soon after that, Bagon started running around the campsite as fast as he could.

Ash shook his head, and got down to start doing some sit-ups, occasionally stopping to offer his Pokemon some advice.

* * *

(Time Skip – 2 hour later)

Ash and Brock, along with Pikachu and Espeon, were continuing through the forest on the way to Violet City while the two humans were discussing the ban of Rare Candies of all things as they went.

"No, Rare Candies may increase the level of a Pokemon as it packs an unusual, but small burst of energy, but Pokemon will miss out on the exercise and experience of battling various Pokemon" Brock mused.

Ash put his hand under his chin in thought, "Hmm. That makes sense, but couldn't a Pokemon make up for that lost potential by exercising later?"

Brock shook his head, "Not really. That would work, except when a Pokemon reaches its highest potential at Lv. 100, it cannot get any more experience, so the potential to make up the exercise and experience by battling is ultimately lost."

Ash shook his head in disbelief, "Wow….so that's why you can't purchase them anywhere."

Brock nodded, "Yes, the League felt that too many trainers, in an effort to get powerful quickly, would use too many rare candies on their Pokemon. A Pokemon should not have to miss out on becoming its best because a trainer was too impatient."

Ash nodded in agreement, but both trainers stopped when they heard some rustling coming from a nearby cave on their right.

A small dust cloud appeared at the entrance as a Dunsparce crawled out of the cave. The two trainers looked at it in shock.

Ash quickly turned to Brock, "Why is a rare Pokemon like Dunsparce crawling out of the cave right now? I thought they liked the dark?"

Brock put a finger over his mouth and whispered, "Quiet. It probably hasn't noticed us, so it thinks it is safe. Maybe this one likes the sun? Either way, I plan on capturing it."

Ash motioned to the Dunsparce and Brock came over to it and Dunsparce turned towards Brock in surprise.

"Dunsparce, I challenge you to battle. Vulpix go!" Brock called out while tossing his Pokeball.

Vulpix appeared in a flash of light and growled at the Dunsparce. Brock wasted no time, "Vulpix, use Ember!"

Vulpix launched a small ball of fire that collided with Dunsparce, causing it to slide back a bit and glare at the attacker.

Dunsparce used its tail and started digging underground, intending to get what it considered its own cheap shot in.

Vulpix was alarmed and started looking in every direction for it, trying to sense where it may be.

Brock took a deep breath and called, "Vulpix, calm down. Dunsparce will appear soon, try to sense the vibrations below you to dodge it."

Vulpix calmed down and readjusted its stance and closed its eyes to sense where Dunsparce was. No sooner had Vulpix closed its eyes it tried to jump, but it sensed its target too late resulting in a super-effective hit.

"_Vulllllll" _it cried as it landed on the ground directly in front of Brock, struggling to stand up.

Brock came over to check on Vulpix for a moment, "Vulpix, can you continue?"

Dunsparce was panting a bit and watched with a glare on the other side of the field to see if the fight was going to continue.

Vulpix shook it's head to come to its senses and nodded with a determined glare. Brock smiled, "Great! Let's finish this!" Vulpix got back up and jumped into the fight just in time to hear the next plan, "Vulpix, use Confuse Ray, then Quick Attack!"

Vulpix's eyes turned red and a red wave shot out from its eyes to the target. Dunsparce was caught off guard, not having seen this attack before and started becoming disoriented as the attack landed. The next thing it knew, it was flat on its back, feeling like it just got hit by a truck, due to its dizziness.

Brock pulled an empty Pokeball from his vest and chucked it at the Dunsparce. It moved around for a while before finally settling down, signifying the capture was a success.

Brock then walked over and picked up the Ball and added it to his vest as Ash came up, "Not bad Brock. Somehow I feel that Dunsparce will be a great addition to your team."

Espeon and Pikachu gave their own cries of agreement.

Brock grinned, "Thanks guys. Shouldn't we —"

"Hey over there. Are either of you a trainer? Would you like to battle?" Everyone looked over to see a teenager in a dark-blue vest and jeans with a Pokeball in hand, ready for a battle.

Ash, knowing that this was the opportunity he was looking for, smirked, "Sure, but you won't win, err…what was your name?"

The other trainer adopted an "Oh." look as he realized he forgot to introduce himself, "Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that. My name is Jerry. Sorry, I got too hung up on the possibility for a battle."

Jerry then smirked, "However, you are mistaken if you think you will beat me."

Ash responded with his own smirk, "Nice to meet you Jerry, but I'm afraid it's the other way around, but don't take my word for it. Let's have a 1-on-1 battle. Go Bagon!" Ash grabbed Bagon's Pokeball from his belt and tossed it out in a calm manner.

Bagon materialized on the field with his own grin, excited for another battle.

Jerry shook his head in amazement as he had never seen this Pokemon before, "Whoa. What type of Pokemon is that?"

Ash calmly explained that his Pokemon was a Dragon type.

At this Jerry was greatly shocked and started paling, "Are you from Blackthorn City?"

Ash was confused, but intrigued, "No, I'm from Pallet Town in Kanto? Why is there something about Blackthorn City?"

Jerry shook his head, "Ah, don't worry about it. We'll talk after the battle. Anyway, I choose Sentret!"

Jerry tossed his Pokeball with much enthusiasm, and Sentret materialized on the field.

Brock came over between the two trainers, this will be a 1-on-1 battle. There is no time limit and Jerry will have the first move. Begin!"

Jerry wasted no time, "Sentret, use Defense Curl." Sentret then rolled itself into a ball and a small green aura surrounded it before fading.

Ash was impressed, "Not a bad start. Ok, Bagon use Ember!" Bagon opened its mouth and launched a small fireball toward the defending Pokemon.

Sentret uncurled and grimaced a bit at the pain, but stood strong.

Jerry, knowing that the setup was complete, ordered Sentret's next move in the form of Rollout. Sentret started rolling with a passion towards Bagon.

Ash smirked, "Not bad Jerry, not too many people know about that strategy, but I expected it. Bagon, use your head and try and brace for impact and then use Bite!"

Bagon nodded and with determination in its eyes, it used its head to intercept the attack. Bagon winced, struggling to hold Sentret until it lost momentum and stopped rolling.

At this point, Jerry was surprised that Bagon could withstand and stop the attack.

"Long story short Jerry, Bagon have extremely hard heads, usually as hard as steel, which is great for taking a direct hit in a pinch."

Jerry scowled at this, just as Bagon bit Sentret with its dark-energy infused fangs, causing Sentret to wince in pain. Jerry decided to take advantage of Bagon's proximity.

"Sentret, use Shadow Ball while it is close." Sentret charged up an orb of darkness and launched it at Bagon sending it flying into a nearby boulder, creating a cloud of dust from the explosion.

Ash mentally berated himself for not having Bagon create some space between them but instead having it attack with a physical move after Defense Curl.

"Bagon, you can do this! A Shadow Ball won't stop you. Let's finish this!" As the dust was still clearing a bright light could suddenly be seen shining from within the dust cloud for a few moments before a sudden energy shot from within blasting the dust away.

Ash was in shock, his starter had finally evolved and was now that much closer to achieving its dreams. He shook his head, there would be time to celebrate later, but now they had to finish this fight.

"Congratulations Shelgon! You are now that much closer to achieving your dream! What do you say we finish this battle huh?"

Shelgon happily cheered for a moment and then walked back to the battlefield with a fierce gaze of determination.

Jerry was a bit unnerved by this sudden development, "Be careful Sentret, Shelgon is more powerful than ever."

Sentret nodded, but when it looked back to Shelgon, it was surprised to see a blast of blue energy headed right for it before it screeched in pain and fainted.

Brock looked at Sentret and called out, "Sentret is unable to battle, Shelgon is the winner. The victory goes to Ash."

Ash and Jerry just looked at Shelgon and, seeing it just standing there as if it didn't do anything, caused the two of them to sweatdrop.

Ash rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Err, I guess Shelgon didn't like the surprise Shadow Ball and decided to surprise Sentret with a Dragonbreath."

Jerry shuddered, he did not want to imagine being on the receiving end of such an attack, especially given the reason.

"It's alright, that is how a battle goes sometimes." Jerry smiled and held out a hand, "Great battle Ash, I hope we get to battle again sometime."

Ash reciprocated the smile and shook hands, "Likewise."

Jerry then asked, "So I suppose you were wondering why I thought you were from Blackthorn."

Ash nodded, "Yeah, Is there something about Blackthorn I should know about?"

Jerry shook his head, "Not really, Blackthorn is just famous for its dragon-type Pokemon, and seeing as you had one, I thought maybe you came from there. I have heard that to get a dragon-type Pokemon there, you had to have 'special' approval."

Ash chuckled, "No, but I can see now how you would think that. It sounds like a place I should visit."

Jerry smirked, "If you can get there that is, Blackthorn is home to the eighth Gym Leader and you can guess as to what type of Pokemon is used there."

Ash matched his smirk, "That sounds perfect, sounds like it will be a fun time. How do you know so much about that city though?"

Jerry shrugged, "I get around a lot and I have some family that live there. I usually have to get escorted around that city though as the trainers in that city are far too powerful and I can't match them yet."

Ash accepted that and decided to drop it. Espeon came up next to Ash and looked up to his trainer, "**Ash, we really should get going now. It's getting late, and we need to arrive in Violet City soon.**"

Ash looked down and smiled at his friend while mentally responding, "**You're right Espeon, let's get going.**"

Ash turned back to Jerry, "Well Jerry, it was great to meet you, but we need to get going. I hope we meet again."

Jerry smiled in response, "I understand. I hope we meet again as well."

With that, Jerry went his own way while Ash and friends continued their way to Violet City.

* * *

(Time Skip – 1 hour around 7pm at night)

Ash and friends arrived in Violet city and just arrived at the local Pokemon Center. Brock walked up to Ash and explained the plan, "Ash, I'll go ahead and get us a room this time. Luckily the rooms here are very cheap for traveling trainers at 75 pokedollars a night here in Johto, so we can spend a night or two here."

Ash was surprised, but excited to hear that, "Really!? That's so cheap! You can get so much more than that just battling a trainer!"

Brock nodded, "Yeah, the reason it is so cheap is because the League pays for part of it. It would be free for trainers, but the League felt that the Pokemon Centers' services would be abused, so they decided to have the trainer pay for part of it. It also allows the League to fund other things in the region as well."

Ash put a finger on his chin, "Hmm, I may need to check into that. Perhaps there is something interesting we can do on this journey if that is the case."

"Yeah perhaps, but it isn't anything we need to be overly concerned with now. I'll go get us that room." With that, Brock walked to the Pokemon Center's reception desk.

Ash sat down and gave a small sigh and started thinking. Pikachu and Espeon sat next to Ash and looked at each other in concern before looking at him.

Espeon was about to say something, but an announcement from a newscaster on the nearby TV caught the attention of everyone in the Lobby.

"This just in. Champion Lance of the Elite Four has just revealed at a press conference that there is now a new, but rare way to participate in the Silver Conference!"

Ash looked around for a moment, noticing everyone in the Pokemon Center had their eyes glued to the screen for what was about to be revealed before refocusing on the announcement.

"If the Elite Four member or Champion happen to notice a trainer with extraordinary merit as they go about their business until the Conference is held in December, they may issue the trainer a special medallion inscribed with the symbol of the Legendary Pokemon Ho-oh and Lugia over the stadium of the Silver Conference."

As an image of the medallion was displayed, Ash was surprised by the level of detail and care that was etched into it. To say that it was professionally made was an understatement. Not even the gym badges had this level of detail.

"There are a total of 5 medallions that will be issued between now and the conference, each held by a member of the Elite Four and the Champion. These medallions can be used in place of the eight gym badges for entry into the Silver Conference. The reason why the League has decided to do this is currently unknown. In other news…"

Ash decided to stop paying attention at this point, but internally grinned, "Hmm, perhaps I could get a medallion?"

Ash chuckled but shook his head, knowing that the chances of that were incredibly slim. There were only five of them after all.

Espeon, watching his trainer, decided to speak up, "**Ash, you have been kind of quiet all day today. I know something is on your mind. What's bothering you?" **

Pikachu tapped Ash's shoulder and nodded in agreement wanting to know what was going through his trainer's head.

Ash chuckled again at his friends, knowing they were as curious as he would be in the situation and started to reply, but noticed Brock coming back, looking a bit skeptical.

"…Something is about to change isn't it Ash?" Brock inquired, knowing something was on Ash's mind.

Ash grinned, but had a degree of sadness in his expression and replied to everyone, "Yeah. You see guys, the truth is that I decided I don't want to go around to the gyms to collect their badges anymore. I have something else in mind now. Let's call it a…slight evolution of my dream."

Brock, Espeon, and Pikachu just stared silently as the black-haired trainer for what seemed like ten minutes before they all exclaimed,

"WHAAAT!" "**WHAAAT!**" "_PIIIIKAA!"_

* * *

(Meanwhile)

A lone Pokemon with black fur, white scales, and a red snout was walking through the woods leaving the end near Ecruteak City heading south. "_Grrr. Ecruteak City and the surrounding areas were a waste of time. There is no decent place to live around there. Why did my pack kick me out? I know that I was strong for a Houndour, but that doesn't mean I'm a threat to them!"_

The Pokemon slammed a paw on the ground and simmered in anger while flinching in a bit of pain at the claw mark around its left eye.

It then took a deep breath then gave a weak howl to the sky, expressing its sorrow in the best way it knew how. It kept on doing this for a few minutes before deciding to stop.

Houndour sighed and started walking again, "**Well, I might as well see if there is a nearby cave that is vacant for the night, then continue south towards Violet City. I hope it is as quiet of a city as I had heard and that the same goes for the nearby areas**."

With that Houndour kept walking through the woods, blending in with its dark surroundings to avoid detection.

* * *

A/N: There is chapter six. Wow I have been leaving a lot of cliffhangers lately haven't I? lol I know this chapter was a bit short, but I felt like it would be a good spot to leave off. I don't anticipate leaving too many cliffhangers at one time, so that should be the last one for a while until I get some of the other plot holes/cliffhangers answered. I'm anticipating the next chapter to be a bit longer than usual, so hopefully that will make up for it a bit. As you guys can see, this story may be a bit different than expected, but hopefully that will keep it interesting.

As a reminder, there is a poll up on the top of my profile page for possible future captures, so if you'd like to vote, it will be up for another week or two, so feel free to vote! The results will be shown once the voting period has ended. If for some reason the results are not visible, I will announce them in the next chapter.

CG: *sigh* Eevee, you couldn't wait two minutes to play tag?

Eevee: *with the biggest grin you've ever seen on an eevee* _Nope, time waits for no one and I want to play tag, so come on let's go!_

*Eevee runs outside and CG groans in exasperation*

CG: Wait Eevee! You know you aren't supposed to go outside! I haven't set up the fence yet and its rush hour! Don't leave the property! Wait up already!

*runs out of the house after Eevee as if a certain dragon we all know was on a rampage and out to cause destruction. *

Trapinch: *Walks into the office and sees CG's chair spinning as fast as a top* _Looks like CG went after Eevee again. Maybe he should've set up the fence before adding a pet door to the back door. Oh well, not my problem. _

-CyberGuardian7


End file.
